We take pride in announcing that ICN has been awarded three grants to purchase network equipment tools to better protect our fiber optic infrastructure. The grant opportunity was made possible by FEMA’s Homeland Security Grant Program, which is managed, here in Iowa by the Iowa Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEMD) on behalf of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The grants award the ICN $180,000 for the new equipment.
The funding from the grants will be used for the following:
- Fiber/copper tester and locators will be purchased and used out in the field. The fiber tester will have the capability of testing speeds up to 400Gb. The locator equipment will be of great assistance when a facility move is required or our fiber is damaged by construction equipment
- Cellular test equipment will support the FirstNet cellular backup service for our public safety answering points (PSAPs). Using the cellular equipment will make it easier to conduct site surveys, integrate heat maps, assist with antenna configuration, and verify and troubleshoot connection speeds.
- Network sniffer boxes will help customers identify issues in their networks when performance is seemingly degraded. This will help customers use more traffic information to optimize and/or secure their environments.
The purchase of the network equipment will be completed by June 30, the end of Fiscal Year 2024.
ICN is also closing out a past grant with the purchase and implementation of a fiber monitoring system that improves fiber performance and provides precise location details. With the use of the fiber monitoring tool, our Network Operation Center will be able to pin-point damaged fiber and dispatch field technicians to the precise location, saving time and assisting in service restoral time frames.
Again, we want to thank HSEMD for these funding opportunities that help support the statewide fiber optic Network to ensure critical communications stay up.