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News from the
Iowa Communications Network
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News & Updates
Earlier this month, we launched our new website at https://icn.iowa.gov. The website is designed to help Iowans easily access the information and services they need. We invite everyone to visit the website and update their current bookmarks.
ICN Facilities News:
Moving Network Equipment from the Iowa Wesleyan University to a new Secure Shelter
A complex situation is an understatement when a large-scale Network site move is being coordinated. Our Facilities team took notice back in March 2023, when the closure announcement of Iowa Wesleyan University, the 181-year-old private college in Mt Pleasant, made headlines. The reasoning for the interest was that this private college served a greater Network purpose statewide for other critical communications services provided by the ICN.
Housed on campus in an equipment room in Hershey Hall, also called a FOTS room (fiber-optic transmission system), was the ICN’s Network equipment. This location is one of the original Part II sites for the Network, and dates back to the early 1990s. These state-owned sites were included in the initial fiber build-out and created a Network point of presence in many Iowa counties.
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As the university board proposed liquidating assets including the sale of campus buildings, ICN began looking for a site to relocate the Network equipment. This included the possibility of staying in Hershey Hall. After reviewing the conditions of the Hershey Hall building, it was discovered that the outside of the building looked solid, but the interior lacked the same hardiness and reliability. There was construction debris, an indication of some vandalism on the inside upper floors, and the walls appeared to be crumbling. In addition to this, the door to our equipment room needed security enhancements to maintain the security of the Network.
 A More Secure, Stable Shelter
Following a thorough evaluation of Hershey Hall, it was a clear that a new structure was needed to secure ICN’s Network equipment. After months of planning and searching for an alternative site, ICN purchased a small area of land located close to the fiber path, with approval received from the Mt Pleasant City Council during their August 2023 council meeting.
 The magnitude of relocating a site is enormous. Like every project, collaboration is key between employees, vendors, and other external stakeholders. This project was completed in different phases beginning with receiving power from the local coop, boring fiber to the new location, pouring the foundation, installing a new equipment shelter, migration of ICN’s Network equipment, installing temperature controls in the new facility, and connecting a backup generator to the shelter. With all of those steps completed, the new Part II site was officially active on January 17, 2024, at 4:30 AM. This marked the completion of the relocation project, which was accomplished in less than a year.
🏢 Learn more about Relocating Sites and Their Importance
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Highlighted Service
Case Study: Small Rural School's New VoIP Solution
Nashua-Plainfield CSD
ICN Service: Managed Voice
Buildings associated with project (3):
- Elementary School (pre-K – 5th)
- Middle/High School (6th-12th)
- Husky Wellness Center
The outdated landline system used by a rural school in northeastern Iowa needed to be replaced with an alternate communications platform. The goals were to update the VoIP system, integrated long-distance calls, be user-friendly, and connect all three of the school buildings.
📰 Read how ICN assisted this district with a smooth VoIP transition.
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Why Customers Connect to the Cloud with the ICN:
- Improved network performance
- A private direct connection
- Network scalability
- Lowers expenses
Did You Know: ICN has direct cloud connections to all of the national content providers. With Internet exchange point (IXP) access to Equinix and Coresite, ICN delivers over 200Gb of peering that benefits the entire State of Iowa.
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Highlights from Social Media |
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International Women's Day
We want to recognize the women who work at the ICN as STEM leaders who can inspire girls to pursue their dreams and excel in technology.
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Iowa Libraries Online Conference
Iowa Libraries are essential to closing the digital divide. We are proud to have helped share the Toward Gigabit Toolkit.
Hear about the amazing toolkit!
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News from the Industries We Serve
A selection of the topics involving our customers are highlighted below.
Congratulations to the Iowa Hospitals named as Top 100 Critical Access and Rural & Community Hospitals
We want to give a shout out to all of the rural and community hospitals listed in the recent 2024 Top 100 Critical Access and Rural & Community Hospitals by the Chartis Research Group. We are glad to provide broadband connectivity to many of these healthcare locations.
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Team FrostByte picked as a finalist in NASA Competition
The team is one of five teams selected to visit the Johnson Space Center in Houston.
Source: We Are Iowa
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NENA Celebrates 9-1-1 Anniversary
On February 16, 1968, history was made in Haleyville, Alabama, with the inaugural 9-1-1 call, marking a transformative moment for emergency response in America. This landmark, later becoming Haleyville's City Hall, symbolizes the genesis of the vital service we’ve all come to rely on today.
Source: NENA
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Safe and Sound Iowa app received 200 threats this school year alone
The Safe and Sound Iowa app has received more than 200 threat reports this school year. The app was created as a part of the Governor’s School Safety Initiative. Students can report threats anonymously to the Iowa Department of Public Safety using the app.
Source: WHO13
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