NEKLS Innovation Day 2016 Presented by Debbie Edwards, KsFiberNet

1. NEKLS – Innovation Day
Five Ways to Maximize Your Internet…
Advice from a Carrier

2. • Kansas Fiber Network, LLC
• Kansas Company
• HQ in Wichita
• 100 Gig State-Wide Backbone
• 29 Kansas Independent Telephone
Companies – Member/Owners
• Serving more than 400 communities
in Kansas…and growing

4. Why KsFiberNet – Enabling Communities
• Enabling Competition – our fiber presence
enables other carriers to cost-effectively build out
both residential and business networks to offer
more options to your community.
• Public/Private Partnerships. Collaboration with
City/County/State entities to provide more cost-
effective builds and diversity alternatives.
• Carrier Grade Network with a Local Focus –
much more flexible than the large carriers
• KS-Based, Member-Owned
• NOC services 24/7/365 in Kansas, Staffed by
Kansans
• Tier 1 internet provider with Dual/Redundant
feeds – also can provide CDN peering with
Netflix, Google, Akamai, Microsoft, etc.
• We have nearly ubiquitous Ethernet coverage
across the State.

5. Top 5 Ways to Maximize Your Internet…Even in Rural Areas
Advice From a Carrier
 Know who potential providers are
 Utilize your city economic development
 Know the E-rate rules
 Be specific on the 470
 Ask for more

6. Know who your providers are…it evolves
 Incumbent LEC’s – AT&T, CenturyLink, Small ILECs
 Cable Companies
 Competitive LECs
 Many ILECs are expanding into nearby towns as a CLEC
 Wireless ISP’s – a handful in NE Kansas already

7. Utilize your city economic development
 Squeaky Wheel
 Work closely with other community anchor institutions

8. Know the E-Rate Rules
 Recent changes encourage fiber builds, dark fiber
 Special Construction Non-Funded Net amount can
now be paid to the carrier in installment payments
over 4 years. – Have to ask up-front.
• Result can be a lower monthly recurring charge.
• i.e. more up-front = lower monthly charge
 Start early – Fiber takes awhile to install and USAC allows for early
funding approval if fiber build required.
 WAN Fiber Options
• Self-Provisioned Dark Fiber
• Dark Fiber
• Lit Fiber

9. Be Specific on the 470!!
 Use the Comments Section
 SERVICE Address
 Specific Bandwidths…not a range
 Specific terms 3 or 5 year?
 Advantage?
o You will get more quotes faster and be able
to compare apples for apples

10. Ask for MORE!
 Fiber Access is expensive, Internet is cheap
 Decision criteria:
• Price has to be weighted the highest…however
• Can contain other important factors
such as having a Network Operations
Center (NOC) in Kansas with the ability to talk
to a live body
• Service Level Agreements
• Past Performance

11. Thank you!
Deb Edwards: 785-224-7720
dedwards@ksfiber.net