More Than a Network: Iowa's Critical Infrastructure Backbone

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A new webpage highlights the role of the state's fiber-optic backbone as critical infrastructure and its benefits for Iowans. We're proud to serve by delivering essential services that connect our communities, ensure safety, and provide access to vital digital resources.

Connecting Iowans, Saving Lives

Our statewide network plays a crucial role in the daily lives of Iowans:

  • Public Safety: Every 911 call made in Iowa is transported across the ICN to public safety answering points, ensuring help can arrive quickly when it's needed most.
  • Healthcare:  We securely connect hospitals and clinics across the state, allowing for the sharing of records and critical information like medical imaging, and keeping sensitive data local.
  • Essential Government: The Network provides connections to courthouses, driver's license stations, and workforce development offices, bringing essential government services directly to rural Iowans.
  • Education: We connect students and educators to online courses, digital resources, and research applications, bridging the digital divide and preparing the next generation for success.

A Commitment to Community and Partnerships

ICN reinvests its revenue back into the private sector. In fact, in Fiscal Year 2025, we reinvested over $22 million, with a significant portion going directly to Iowa’s private telecom companies. Our customers choose us because of the value and reliability we provide, not because it's required. This commitment has led to over $138 million in savings for Iowa's schools, libraries, and healthcare providers over the years via participation in two Universal Service Administrative Company programs.

Our 3,400 miles of fiber optic cable connects all 99 counties, and our core network has maintained 100% uptime since 2022. We're also at the forefront of cybersecurity, successfully blocking over 7,400 DDoS cyberattacks in the last fiscal year alone.

The ICN is dedicated to serving our partners and customers. Whether it's providing a critical lifeline during the Greenfield tornado or connecting public safety communications during crisis times, the Network is a dependable asset in serving our State.

We invite you to visit our Critical Infrastructure webpage and learn about the connectivity we bring as a middle mile carrier in Iowa.