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Article – Tuesday, March 10, 2015
New Bandwidth Pricing
Dear Friends,T
his letter is to inform you of two important changes at the Illinois Century Network (ICN) regardingbandwidth service rates and the State funding for bandwidth to schools, libraries and museums.
New Bandwidth Service Pricing Model:
The ICN is happy to announce lower broadband service rates effective July 1, 2015.
| Service Level | Rate Per Mbps | Monthly Recurring | Installation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 Mb | $ 14.00 | $ 140.00 | Waived |
| 20 Mb | $ 12.00 | $ 240.00 | Waived |
| 50 Mb | $ 9.00 | $ 450.00 | Waived |
| 100 Mb | $ 6.00 | $ 600.00 | Waived |
| 200 Mb | $ 5.50 | $1100.00 | Waived |
| 500 Mb | $ 5.00 | $2500.00 | Waived |
| 1000 Mb | $ 4.50 | $4500.00 | Waived |
This new pricing model provides significantly lower costs at the higher bandwidth levels beginning at 20 Mb. The rate reductions are possible due to the lower operating costs associated with the migration to a State owned fiber network and ongoing efforts to drive down costs through negotiations with our vendors.
We are very excited to offer this new pricing model and believe it will significantly help our community anchor institutions continue the migration to fiber‐based connections including Metro Ethernet service and increase bandwidth levels to meet their needs.
Please contact your Regional Technology Center (RTC) office for more information and to initiate a new or revised Service Order.
State Allocation for Primary Consituents:
State funding for the free bandwidth provided to schools, libraries and museums which provided a base level of bandwidth has been eliminated in the State’s proposed Fiscal Year 2016 budget. This means that starting July 1, 2015, there will be no State funded bandwidth unless it is restored in the final budget.
We understand that the elimination of the State funded bandwidth presents real concerns for many of our constituents, particularly our smaller schools and libraries operating with limited budget resources. However, we are optimistic, that more and more of our K‐12 schools and libraries are applying for and receiving E‐rate funding, which helps cover much of the cost of Internet service, and during this past year we have seen a drop in last mile cost and an increase in the number of providers offering last mile services. E‐rate funding and lower last mile costs, along with the new reduced ICN bandwidth pricing will help offset the impact for the loss of the State funded bandwidth.
ICN staff is committed to helping our constituents through this transition and we ask that you contact your RTC staff for additional information and consultation.
Sincerely,
Your ICN Team
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