AT&T to deploy Internet centers for North Carolina research and education network

MCNC, a non-profit technology corporation that operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), has asked AT&T to design and deploy two new Internet access sites. The new sites will address the network’s heavy traffic volumes.

MCNC serves 115 public school districts, 58 community colleges, 27 independent colleges and universities, 47 charter schools, and more research, non-profit, healthcare, and North Carolina state and local government institutions. The state’s educational institutions use 5X to 7X more bandwidth now than they did three years ago, AT&T reports.

"As MCNC continues to expand network communications, AT&T was a clear choice to help meet our growing bandwidth needs," said MCNC President and CEO, Joe Freddoso. "We operate NCREN as a shared platform to deliver broadband services, giving our schools and our state a real competitive advantage in today's new broadband economy.”

AT&T says its Managed Internet Service (MIS) will help MCNC meet the Common Core State Standards initiative to enhance campus Internet connections.

MCNC also supports rural broadband service provision. The organization has inaugurated the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative using broadband stimulus funds (see “MCNC opens RFP for Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative construction”).

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