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August 20, 2018
Mediacom Business Press Release

Mediacom Business Helps Schools and Libraries Increase Bandwidth and Reduce Costs

Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions put Iowa Schools on par with metropolitan school districts

Mediacom Park, NY - August 20, 2018 – Mediacom Business, a division of Mediacom Communications Corporation, is providing the path for schools in rural America to evolve with the expansion of the digital classroom. With broadband speeds up to 10 Gigabit and beyond, schools and libraries can effectively address the budgetary challenges of keeping up with technology advancements that help to close the digital divide, generate student engagement and drive benchmarks of educational effectiveness.

As an accredited Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) broadband services provider, Mediacom Business participates in the federal government program called E-rate to subsidize broadband and wireless internet connections within the education sector. Dan Templin, Senior Vice President of Mediacom Business, said his company has supported E-rate initiatives since the program was approved by the FCC, making data and voice services more affordable for school and libraries. “As a leading provider of broadband services in predominantly rural areas, Mediacom Business has maintained a commitment to providing Gigabit capacity that supports these advanced technology platforms. E-curriculum, online testing, virtual field trips, VR/AR and distance learning require a strong backbone of internet service particularly when an entire district is looking to access the applications simultaneously,” Mr. Templin said.

With assistance from E-rate funding, schools have the opportunity to adopt EdTech initiatives. The classroom environment is changing, and the students who now enter, known as “digital natives,” have grown up on connected devices. These students are poised to be the most tech-savvy demographic to date and are incredibly fast digital learners. “The user experience of these technologies will determine the level of adoption for students and is dependent upon the broadband that powers it,” said Templin. “We know that fast and reliable internet access for students will be the great equalizer when measured against students in other states.”

This year, Mediacom Business responded to a request for a fiber-optic broadband technology solution in Prairie City, Iowa. “The Prairie City School District wrote a proposal to construct their own fiber-optic line from Prairie City to Monroe at an estimated cost of nearly $400,000, which exceeded the district’s budget,” Mr. Templin said. “Mediacom Business showed them how they could utilize our existing fiber network to deliver the same bandwidth requirements for over 95% less than their original estimate. And Mediacom Business’ expertise in the E-rate program helped the district secure funding to offset 60% of the lower-cost solution.”

Mr. Templin said because of Mediacom Business’ Gigabit+ Fiber Solutions, Prairie City Schools now get a reliably fast connection at all school and administrative buildings, improving website load times and document transfer speeds for students and teachers. Web-based curriculum, textbooks and lessons, are also more responsive, allowing Prairie City Schools to offer an educational environment on par with school districts in much larger cities.

Like Prairie City Schools’ experience, Mediacom Business has helped hundreds of schools and libraries stay connected and competitive while reducing the financial burden on taxpayers and the community.
 

About Mediacom Communications Corporation

Mediacom Communications Corporation is the 5th largest cable operator in the U.S. serving almost 1.4 million customers in smaller markets, primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Mediacom offers a wide array of information, communications and entertainment services to households and businesses, including video, high-speed data, phone, and home security and automation. Through Mediacom Business, the company provides innovative broadband solutions to commercial and public sector customers of all sizes and sells advertising and production services under the OnMedia brand. More information about Mediacom is available at www.mediacomcable.com.

Contact
Tom Larsen
Senior Vice President, Government & Public Relations
Mediacom Communications Corporation
Phone: 845-443-2754 | Email: info@mediacomcc.com

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