FIBER AND CONNECTIVITY IN THE WILD: SOME REAL USE CASES WITH MULTI-VERTICAL SUCCESS

Everyone always says that building a connectivity strategy and architecting a network with robust capabilities is a highly variable and personalized task — or at least it should be. Of course, every unique business comes to the table with unique needs, goals and preferences. Similarly, every different business vertical like healthcare, government, education and more all bring their own specific requirements.

Being able to leverage customized solutions is the ideal way to ensure every organization gets the right footprint with the optimal mix of speed, reach, security and beyond. However, in a world of fast-paced growth and a plethora of options, customization can just as easily become a challenge for businesses that aren’t sure how to navigate network optimization.

Ultimately, there’s a host of ways to begin understanding and planning for each individual connectivity transformation. Still, having an example framework for what solutions work well across an assortment of verticals is a great way to get some tips and tricks to start in the right direction.

At Glo Fiber Business, we have a wealth of experience partnering closely with organizations across many different mission-critical verticals, here are just a few of our success stories:

HEALTHCARE

In healthcare, keeping patient data safe while being able to keep information agile and accessible across hospital and healthcare locations is vital. This combination of efficiency, mobility and security can be a tricky one to create, but with the right tools, it’s certainly an achievable outcome — just ask the Southern Ohio Health Care Network (SOHCN).

SOHCN, a collaborative of rural healthcare providers, today serves more than 350 healthcare facilities operated by 18 different healthcare providers in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky. Authorized by the FCC, SOHCN supports quality care and telehealth while leveraging purchasing power resulting in advantageous pricing and strong service level agreements. When this collaborative needed to expand its fiber broadband to remain robustly connected, it selected Horizon’s industry-leading Metro Ethernet services to provide redundancy, security and diversity throughout the network.

Hopewell Health Centers also provides another example of how disparate locations can be easily and effectively linked with virtually unlimited speed to keep care moving.

EDUCATION

Times are changing, and the way schooling and education is accomplished today uses a lot more technology — and that means schools are bandwidth-hungry. Investing in expanded network capabilities is key for the evolution of education, as well as for continuing to provide equal opportunity for distance education and expanded access to global online resources for students.

While Horizon has extensive experience working with schools and E-Rate programs, one great example of how we’ve empowered learning opportunities is through our work with the YMCA of Central Ohio. In order to continue supporting its healthy living social programs, empower its Learning Extension Centers, STEM opportunities, virtual classes and more for local neighborhoods, the nonprofit needed significant bandwidth and reliable performance. The YMCA chose Horizon DIA and Voice Connect solutions to support more than a dozen of its locations, keeping education accessible for those communities now and into the future with dedicated internet connectivity and robust communications capabilities.

As far as higher education goes, a university in Steubenville, Ohio also selected Horizon as their E-Line Ethernet provider to help future proof the network with expanded bandwidth and enhanced reliability via a protected backbone.

GOVERNMENT

It’s no surprise that government networking requires some of the most careful and conscientious solutions out of all the verticals. This isn’t only because the health and safety of local communities relies on it, but also because the personal information housed in government locations must be protected at all costs.

So, when a family-friendly and growing city like Heath needed to invest in its infrastructure and ensure it was meeting the needs of local families and businesses (plus connect eight municipal locations including the water and fire departments), it turned to DIA. Dedicated Internet Access solutions provide a great way to leverage speed, reliability, predictability, security and more — all in one neat package. A private network means that nobody else has access to the information, and it also keeps organizations free from the bandwidth restrictions of shared connectivity. Of course, this means that all municipal services and government offices are free to operate as they please — and that helps local communities flourish.

For a look at how a local fire department in Granville enhanced their emergency response through network updates, take a look at this case study.

ENTERPRISE

Enterprise needs are just about as unique and varied as they come, and each organization brings its own needs to a network deployment. There are seemingly endless ways to cater to the needs of an individual growth goal, but a great example of how a local business empowered its footprint growth without sacrificing its connectivity can be found with the Bridge Park win.

At the end of the day, making the most out of any digital transformation means having a truly dedicated partner with local expertise on your side. At Horizon, we take great pride in our reputation as a trusted ally, and that shines through in the success stories we’re fortunate to share proudly.

To learn more about how we can help your business with its connectivity and fiber goals, contact us today.