01 Data Center applies for government funds to render broadband access to healthcare facilities in unserved areas

Aug 26 2009

It was announced by 01 Data Center that it has applied to the government broadband stimulus fund to provide broadband access to healthcare facilities in the unserved areas of the US. Unserved areas exist in all 50 states because they are not connected to the internet infrastructure since most networks consider them too remote or too disperse and challenging to dig ditches and lay wires. Without access to the internet backbone, medical facilities in rural areas have become isolated islands without connections among themselves or access to larger or specialized medical centers in the country. They are not even connected to first responders such as the police and fire departments when faced with local or national disasters. The result is inefficient and expensive health care delivery and inferior patient care for millions of American citizens.

01 is in a perfect position to alleviate these problems. The 01 network is unique; it was designed as an IP hybrid network to provide terrestrial service to the end user combined with satellite middle mile. 01 network is neither a terrestrial nor a satellite network but combines the best of both. Satellite middle mile connects to the internet backbone reaching everywhere in the unserved, underserved and fully served markets in the US and the world. Meanwhile healthcare facilities can choose their network inside their buildings as they wish whether it be WiFI, WiMax or wired fiber or cable and/or a combination.

If funded by RUS/PIB or NATIA/PTOB, 01 will deploy the hybrid network within a matter of weeks using 01 satellite bandwidth under lease and install hubs on the roofs of healthcare facilities. 01 was designed and successfully tested by Cisco Systems and deployed for a number of years in the early 2000s.

01 will also offer disaster recovery protection for the unserved areas.

Equally important, healthcare facilities will begin digitizing their data and images such as X-ray and EKG. Few of these facilities have the financial and technical resources or space to store and retrieve digital data. Where fiber is absent, the only means to back up and store data is via satellite. 01 has the perfect answer, a data center with satellite connectivity. Few data centers in the country have satellite access. 01 is converting 20.000sf of an FCC licensed satellite teleport to become a tier 4 data center with expansion potential to 160.000sf ( www.alphastar.com ) . Cisco Systems also designed the data center with next generation technology in security and functionality; it is redundant in connectivity to the fiber backbone and power sources. The building is on the top of a mountain in New England. It is solid, isolated, gated and fenced. Because 01 Data Center was originally built for TV broadcasting, it is ideal for storage of data, images, video, voice, and multimedia for medical and other fields.

01 has contacted over 250 healthcare facilities and welcomes additional participants.