TEACH Wisconsin is pleased to announce that effective January 1, 2010, there will no longer be multiple $250/mo fees for bandwidths over 10Mbps. In addition, the practice of "capping" subsidized bandwidth at 45Mbps is being eliminated. The total available subsidized bandwidth per TEACH customer is now 100Mbps.
This past summer the Departments of Administration and Public Instruction developed and submitted a stimulus grant proposal to the federal government. If funded, the grant will provide fiber optics to 74 K-12 schools, 385 libraries and 8 technical colleges in Wisconsin that do not currently have fiber. In addition, the grant will make it possible for all TEACH customers currently on fiber to automatically receive 100Mbps.
It was originally believed that grant awards would be announced in November 2009, in time for the e-rate window. It has since been learned that the federal awardees may not be known until February, 2010.
In response to this uncertainty, changes have been made to the TEACH program so that our schools and libraries have opportunities to increase their subsidized bandwidth at no additional cost whether or not we ultimately receive the federal grant.
Beginning January 1, there will no longer be incremental fees for bandwidths over 10Mbps. Bandwidths from 256K to 3.0M will continue to be billed at $100/mo but all bandwidths from 3Mbps to 100Mbps will be just $250/mo regardless of how that bandwidth is divided between video, internet transport, WAN and WAN HPLL.
In order for these rate and policy changes to be financially sustainable, all requests for increase will be approved strictly based on demonstrated need. They will not be automatic as would be the case if we received the stimulus grant.
As is customary, TEACH customers will be asked to justify additional service prior to any TEACH-subsidized bandwidth increases.
Under this new rate schedule, those customers currently paying over $250/month for their TEACH-subsidized BCN service will automatically have their rate reduced beginning in January.
To request additional bandwidth, please complete the Service Change Request that can be found on this website. Send a copy of the request along with a graph or chart of your current usage and a brief written justification for the increase to TEACH@Wisconsin.gov .
If you have any questions regarding how this rate change will affect your school or library, or need assistance obtaining a usage graph, please e-mail TEACH at teach@wisconsin.gov or call us at (608) 261-5054.
