Networking & Wireless

Madison Academy Upgrades to Gigabit Fiber WAN

• By Leila Meyer
• 06/30/16

Madison Academy in Alabama has implemented a 1-gigabit per second (Gbps) fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) network between its two campus locations and a multipurpose student service center and is planning to extend the fiber connection to a third building currently under construction.

The preK through high school institute upgraded to 200-megabit per second (Mbps) Internet service with WOW! Business last summer. However, the school found that it was maxing out that connection and needed to increase bandwidth to support broad adoption of digital learning tools as well as the campus expansion.

The school has a 1-to-1 technology program, providing every student with either an Apple laptop or an iPad. Teachers use technology extensively in and out of the classroom, with "virtual classrooms, blogs, online video learning tutorials and other curriculum that requires reliable Internet access and sufficient, flexible bandwidth capacity that can easily scale as needed," according to a news release.

The school has already begun construction of two new wings. One wing will house a performance center and will open in the fall of 2016. A second wing will house the school's STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programs. Construction of that wing is still in the funding stage.

To support digital learning initiatives and the school expansion, the school worked with WOW! Business to upgrade its fiber-based dedicated Internet service from 200 Mbps to 1 Gbps. "The jump from 200 Mbps to 1 Gbps will help support the new STEAM programs, enrollment growth and more curriculums becoming web-based, benefitting both students and faculty," said Brian Tissue, director of technology and network infrastructure for Madison Academy, in a news release. In addition to its Internet service, WOW! Business also provides the school with Ethernet, PRI voice and video services.