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November 14, 2005

Technology Through Teamwork
Wireless Internet Now Available at All Three Madison Schools

MADISON, Maine - When students return to Madison schools this fall, they will all have wireless Internet access to help them learn.

Wireless access is already available at Madison Elementary School and Madison Junior High School. Madison Area Memorial High School will complete wireless upgrades this summer.

Businesses, schools, and utilities in the town of about 4,500 residents worked together so the schools could take a technological step forward.

"This achievement was made possible through teamwork," says Floyd Wood, technology director for M.SA.D. #59. "The district now operates on a unified, wireless network thanks to a proactive technology policy from key members of the community."

While federal grants made the wireless equipment purchases possible, Madison's schools have also benefited from the philanthropy of the locally owned electric utility, Madison Electric Works (MEW). MEW installed the fiber-optic cable necessary for high-speed wireless Internet access to the district's schools at no cost.

Verizon, Madison's main telecommunications provider, also installed a T3 line to Madison Area Memorial High School for continuing education purposes. Residents now take courses asynchronously offered from the University of Maine system.

Verizon has also developed a strong working relationship with the town's business park, Madison Business Gateway (MBG). This technological teamwork has the park poised for expansion.

"We have fiber running by the park, and have a conduit in place ready to deliver the fiber to its next tenants," said Dan Breton, Verizon's director of government affairs. "We also can provide high speed Internet to the site with no problem. We are in great shape to support businesses at this location."

Other local Internet service providers (ISPs) have also pledged to work with MBG to provide the necessary technological infrastructure for businesses to flourish. Redundancy is available for companies in need of very-high speed Internet access, which MBG also has the capability to provide. A repeater station located near the park also provides wireless Internet access to the lots.

"The same infrastructure potential businesses will use to run day-to-day operations at MBG will also help educate the children of their employees." said Wood.

For more information on the town of Madison or Madison Business Gateway, contact Brian N. Hamel of Hamel Enterprises, LLC, at 207-764-5575, bhamel@mfx.net, or visit www.madisonmaine.com.

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