Our practice is built on deep industry expertise in communications infrastructure.

Our Practice

Fiberutilities Group serves a wide range of organizations across the United States. Our clients come to us from both the public and private enterprise communities, searching for ways to improve the efficiency and reliability of their communications infrastructure. Fiberutilities Group specializes in helping our clients to invest in the communications infrastructure that will help them achieve their organization’s strategic goals.

In addition, we have built specialized practices around helping clients in the healthcare, education, and financial sectors meet the specific communication challenges of their industries. We also focus on securing alternative funding solutions for clients who would otherwise be unable to finance their network development.

Enterprise

Enterprise is at the heart of the America economy. In order to remain competitive in the contemporary business environment, businesses must ensure they are making efficient use of not only up-to-date technology, but also the right technology for their particular organization. Our clients come to us to learn more about the possibilities of owning their own communications networks. They are interested in issues such as network costs and control, staying current with evolving technology, and keeping pace with their competitors. Our team of industry experts at Fiberutilities provides answers to these and more questions, as part of a complete, client-specific analysis of correct long-term network strategy.

Public

Fiberutilities recognizes the unique challenges facing public organizations across the United States. Our practice is built around providing connectivity solutions for public organizations of all shapes and sizes- organizations ranging from small municipal councils to large, state-wide power districts.

Private

Fiberutilities has partnered with a variety of businesses to assist in ensuring optimal and efficient use of communications technology. We have helped clients- from small local companies to Fortune 500 corporations- to develop the right long-term network strategy for use within their businesses.

Specializations

We have developed specialized practices for guiding organizations in fields such as healthcare, education, and finance through the process of developing the right long-term network strategy. For these and many other organizations private network ownership is often the right solution for their environment.

Healthcare

The healthcare industry is experiencing a time of rapid technological change and development. Communication technology is allowing more healthcare systems and facilities to transmit larger data files, real-time video and electronic health records across disperse geographical areas. Modern network technology allows health care facilities to add capabilities such as telesurgery, teleradiology, remote examinations, electronic health records (EHRs), patient-family communication, and more to their current practices. Rural healthcare facilities in particular stand to gain from fast and reliable access to larger, metropolitan healthcare networks. Fiberutilities has worked with healthcare networks such as the Iowa Health System and the Rural Nebraska Healthcare Network to plan, build, and operate private communication networks.

Education

Information sharing, and access to world-wide information is crucial for the continued advancement of education. Fiberutilities has worked with several educational institutions to ensure that their students are given the opportunity to access the information available for use through advanced communications technology.

Finance

Financial institutions rely on fast, reliable, and cost-effective technology to carry out their day-to-day business operations. Given that slow or unreliable connections can result in the loss of millions of dollars, financial institutions recognize the need for up-to-date technology and the benefits of private network ownership. Fiberutilities has worked with organizations such as Principal Financial Group and QCR Holdings to help ensure that such companies are using the safest and most effective connection technology available.

Network Financing

Fiberutilities Group has developed a successful practice around assisting clients in funding the execution of their long-term network strategies. We have helped facilitate a number of different financing arrangements on behalf of our clients, such as partnering with other organizations to share network costs, securing funds from venture capital firms, and applying for federal grants- including economic stimulus funds. As part of network financing, we help our clients develop and implement tailored sustainability plans crucial to the ongoing health and operation of their network.

RHCPP

Health care networks which qualified for the Rural Healthcare Pilot Program (RHCPP) administered by the federal government’s Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) secured 85% of the funding required to upgrade, expand or otherwise improve their ability to provide healthcare in rural areas of the country. The RHCPP allows rural hospitals and clinics to share information such as electronic health records, communicate with one another using technologies such as videoconferencing, share and conduct research cooperatively, improve health education, and more.

Economic Stimulus Funds

Many of the organizations for which a private network is suitable are also in a position to secure government funds designated for economic stimulus.

ARRA

The $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) was signed into effect by President Obama on February 17, 2009. Several provisions within the Act encourage the creation and improvement of network communications technologies. In fact, $7.2 billion has been specifically allocated for the development of broadband infrastructure and services, via the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the Rural Utilities Service (RUS). Another $19 billion has been allocated to support the widespread adoption of Health Information Technology (HIT).

NTIA

The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has been awarded $4.7 billion for the creation and improvement of broadband infrastructure, $4.2 billion of which will be used to establish the Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP). BTOP will award funds to organizations that develop or expand broadband services to rural and underserved areas of the country. Eligible applicants are expected to fund 20% of a project’s cost; however, that requirement may be waived for certain public-sector projects.

RUS

The Rural Utilities Service (RUS) has been awarded $2.5 billion to be distributed among eligible organizations for the adoption of telecommunications systems and equipment. RUS funds will be distributed as a combination of loans and grants, ranging in size from $50,000 to $500,000. Eligible applicants are expected to fund 15% of a project’s cost. Current or former RUS borrowers are given preference when applying for these funds.

HIT

The ARRA includes $19 billion for the development, adoption, and use of various Health Information Technologies. Funding is available for investment in HIT infrastructure, purchasing Electronic Health Record (EHR) and other HIT software, and training medical professionals to use new technologies, with essentially all of the funding available to the successful applicants in the form of increased reimbursements under other government programs (e.g., Medicare).