Colorado school district to get access to 1G private dedicated network

Thirty schools and administration buildings in the Weld County School District in Colorado are getting access to a 1 Gbps private dedicated network as part of a build completed by Boulder, Colo.-based Zayo Group.

In a press release, Zayo said it invested in 43 miles of dark fiber to provide a private Ethernet network throughout the school district that in turn connects Kersey, Colo., in northern Colorado with its national network of 14,490 buildings, including 3,838 wireless towers and 527 data centers.

The network's success hinged on Zayo's certification by the federal government's E-rate program to provide schools and libraries with affordable Internet access. In this instance, Zayo will help the schools use more online videos in its curriculum, expand and improve distance learning and administer standardized tests online, the press release said.

The school district chose Zayo "because of its large network footprint and ability to provide an E-rate certified solution that can be scaled to the needs of our classrooms," Joe Ronnenberg, technology director for Weld County School District 6, said in the press release. "Zayo was able to work around our school schedule and they completed the project on time for standardized testing."

For more:
- see this Zayo Group press release

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