Access Consulting, an independent professional engineering firm providing consulting services related to the design, construction, and operation of information technology infrastructure, has deployed
Proxim Wireless Corporation’s solutions to cost-effectively provide the town of Elk River, Idaho with its first ever broadband access network.
Proxim Wireless (
News -
Alert) Corporation offers end-to-end broadband wireless systems that deliver the quadruple play of voice, video, data and mobility. The company’s system enable a variety of wireless applications including security and surveillance, VoIP, last mile access, enterprise LAN connectivity and Point-to-Point backhaul.
Elk River has utilized Federal Grant to fund its wireless broadband network.
"Having a broadband connection is essential to give our town equal access to all the resources available on the Web," said Margaret Patterson, director of Elk River Free Library District, who took utmost effort to secure the Federal grant that paid for the network.
"We're a small town, and we're geographically remote, but that does not mean we don't have the same need for Internet connectivity. And thanks to a Federal grant and the ability of wireless technology to enable cost-effective access, we are now connected," added Patterson.
Access Consulting has been working on projects that include; rural telecommunications master planning, wireless LAN and WAN design/deployment, enterprise telephone system design/procurement, and campus wired network design/construction management. In association with the Clearwater Economic Development Association, the company plans to deploy Proxim-based wireless networks to help get other rural communities online. It also supports rural broadband connectivity initiatives throughout Montana and North Dakota.
Clearwater Economic Development Association is a committee of representatives from five counties in north central Idaho, formed to successfully bring broadband to rural areas throughout Idaho.
In 2006, Patterson applied for a grant via the United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Rural Development Community Connect Program and by 2007, she had secured complete funding for the network. Simultaneously, Patterson started coordinating with Access Consulting to work on this project.
Jai C.S. is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Jai's articles, please visit his columnist page.
Edited by Jessica Kostek