Connections matter. Here at WIN, our fiber optic network connects our customers and Midwest communities to the globe. In other words, we connect communities to the people, organizations, and technologies that matter to them most.
How does the middle mile support Midwest communities?
Middle mile infrastructure is required to enable internet connectivity for homes, businesses, and communities. Currently, in many areas throughout the Midwest, there is little to no middle mile network located close enough to connect last-mile infrastructure.
Here at WIN, we specialize in connecting enterprises to the end user. This allows us to connect hospitals to their patients, manufactures to their customers, banks to their clients, and school districts to their students. While we can connect enterprises directly to the WIN middle mile, we also connect last mile providers to homes by providing the mid-section of fiber infrastructure so that providers like our 31 member companies can bring fiber to the home and connect more people to high-speed internet.
In addition to helping narrow the digital divide, middle mile infrastructure can:
- Provide backup options for networks if one connection pathway fails.
- Support regional economic growth by connecting people to opportunities, jobs, and education.
- Attract and retain businesses – ultimately enabling many underserved areas to be better positioned for potential projects and programs.
Connecting the network to the things that matter
The WIN fiber network was not built on its own. We rely on the skills of our network engineers to design, implement and oversee our 20,000+ miles of middle mile fiber optic network to ensure the network is running optimally.
Using their knowledge of network standards and design, our network engineers are the ones who do whatever they can to optimize the network including:
- Integration of old and new technologies with cloud-based systems, such as SD-WAN, to automate network installation, configuration, and operation
- Troubleshooting performance issues and performing tasks necessary to keep the network up and running
- Following security guidelines in configuring the network and securing individual devices
- Regularly planning for capacity
There are no silos at WIN
“Collaborate” is one of our core principles and an essential practice for the success of our network. While the network engineers are the masterminds behind the network design, additional WIN teams are necessary to maintain a high speed, low latency, fiber network. In other words, there is no individual department that is responsible for the success of our network.
Here are a few examples to demonstrate:
- The Service Delivery team manages every network project to ensure customer circuits are implemented on time and according to customer requirements.
- The Network Operations Center (NOC) is the first line of support for the WIN network. While a WIN engineer is on call to support the NOC, the NOC monitors the network 24/7 and reacts to any network events.
- Our Field Technicians travel to sites to implement physical network changes that are designed by the engineering team. In addition, a field tech is on call 24/7 to respond quickly to issues that may arise.
What sets WIN’s engineering team apart from other network providers?
Many network providers offer cookie cutter solutions that may or may not fit your needs. Here at WIN, we offer what we like to call “customer-defined networking”. Rather than trying to fit you to the product, we will create a custom solution that fits the product to you.
In addition, the network engineers who support our customers during the sales cycle and offer support before a contract are the same engineers who will design and implement the customer’s custom solution – ensuring they don’t end up with a solution they don’t need.
Ready to Learn More?
Constructing middle mile networks in rural areas and providing the highest quality of service to end users is the reason we are consistently rated as the middle mile partner of choice throughout our service territory. Learn more about middle mile networks or contact us.