Open Access Networks Provide Economic Development Benefits |
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iFiber, as an open-access network, is supportive of Open Access initiatives with our ISP partners to help bring digital equity to communities. The open access broadband network model is often compared to U.S. highway systems. Roads are built and maintained through both public funds and taxes on vehicles. They are then used by everyone - trucking companies, UPS, taxi cabs, food delivery workers, etc.
Building open access broadband networks promotes economic development successes, improves quality of life, and provides other indirect benefits. Open access networks help bring much needed broadband services to tough-to-reach areas, and helps Internet Service Providers expand their reach to new communities. The following links provide more about open access networks:
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iFiber Participates in The Utility Expo Sept. 28-30 |
iFiber is a proud sponsor and participant in Planet Underground’s "Meet in the Middle" at The Utility Expo Sept. 28-30, in Louisville, KY. Planet Underground’s mission is simple: Be the spark that powers change in underground utility damage prevention. One of the ways it acts to accomplish its mission is to produce peer-to-peer learning events such as The Jobsite and The Roundtable. Both of these popular events will be held at The Utility Expo.
Planet Underground is a knowledge sharing organization whose primary focus is underground utility damage prevention. It offers media and networking events that provide valuable peer-to peer learning experiences. Damage prevention is the responsibility of excavators and underground utility owners. Planet Underground believes communication, planning and cooperation between the two sides can go a long way, but that education is an important key in damage prevention. “Detection and avoidance” are one in the same and Planet Underground educates owners and excavators through video, print, live broadcast, and face-to-face gatherings.
As an underground utility owner, iFiber is dedicated to damage prevention and in continuation with iFiber’s partnership with JULIE, Inc., it supports Planet Underground’s mission. JULIE is a non-profit corporation dedicated to keeping Illinois safe and connected. It offers message processing and damage prevention education service for the safety and protection of underground facilities and the community. JULIE Inc. neither owns nor marks any underground utility lines. To register for the Utility Expo, read the full story
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Request for Proposals for Locating Services & Fiber Network Maintenance |
Qualified vendors are invited to submit a proposal for Illinois Fiber Resources Group Locating Services and Fiber Network Maintenance using the proposal document available here: https://ifiber.org/ifiber-requests/
Illinois Fiber Resources Group NFP (iFiber) is an Illinois not-for-profit organization with a fiber optic-based network that links government, schools, and other public and private organizations located in communities throughout a nine-county region in northwest Illinois. Locate Services and Fiber Network Maintenance are required by iFiber projects to support these activities.
iFiber is requesting submissions by Thursday, September 30, 2021. Please let us know of your intent to bid.
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Call JULIE Before Digging! |
Whether it's Aug. 11 or any other day from January through December, always call 811 before you dig to avoid service disruptions and damage to buried utilities. |
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Using ARP Funds for Broadband Development |
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Illinois Fiber Resources Group NFP (iFiber) recognizes our customers are probably just starting to think about how to spend federal American Recovery Plan funds now available for counties and municipalities to request. Since it's in our area of expertise, we want to underscore one point: Broadband infrastructure is an eligible use of these funds. For more information, visit the iFiber website: https://ifiber.org/2021/08/05/using-arp-funds-for-broadband-development/
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Spotlight on the iFiber Team
Illinois Fiber Resources Group proudly spotlights its team members each week on its Facebook and LinkedIn pages. "Like and Follow" us, please! Keep watching social media and visit our website for more team profiles, iFiber news, and governing board member profiles: https://ifiber.org/leadership-board/
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Matthew Parks is President/Executive Director of iFiber and Illinois Fiber Ventures. He’s been on the team since the beginning of the project in 2011. Read more.
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Marc Thorson is Executive Director for Regional Technology Services in Northern Illinois University's Division of Information Technology (DoIT). Read more.
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Herb Kuryliw is the Director of Sales and Business Development for iFiber and oversees executive client relationships with broadband businesses. Read more.
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As a Certified Public Accountant, Betsy Hull has more than 25 years of accounting and finance experience in both the public and nonprofit sectors. Read more.
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E-Rate is a program of USAC that gives funding to schools and libraries through an open bidding process. USAC, or the Universal Services Administrative Company, is an entity designated by the Federal Communications Commission responsible for administering a roughly $10 billion fund that can be used to pay for Internet connections within impoverished regions, whether rural or urban. In Illinois, the Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) has entered into state master contracts with vendors to support ICN customers for their E-rate category 2 purchases. The state has already conducted a competitive bidding process and selected vendors. Additional information is available on the iFiber website.
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Northern Illinois Monitoring Center (NIMC) is designed to provide wide-area support for iFiber customers.
For urgent issues, please call the NIMC number 1-877-753-8100 to reach a live agent. For non-urgent issues or questions, you are welcome to Email NIMC at nimc@niu.edu. If you have any questions or concerns, contact us at sales@ifiber.org.
Network Administrators: Register your organization's contacts at nimc@niu.edu. Sign up for e-mail alerts for advance notice about maintenance on the iFiber network or notification of a network down at www.nimc.niu.edu.
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Illinois Fiber
Resources Group
(Not-for-Profit)
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P.O. Box 755, Sycamore IL 60178
(815) 753-8113
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