I'm in the process of upgrading our network connections from Coax to fiber. We have locations in every state capital, which means I have a plethora of carrier options to navigate through. I'm curious to hear what carriers you use in your area and what your experiences have been like. Any recommendations or insights would be incredibly helpful!
6 Answers
Consider connecting with an agent who works with companies like Telarus. They can help aggregate quotes from carriers across the country, which can save you a lot of time sifting through options.
Hey, I’m currently working on a similar project! We're using an aggregator to consolidate all the circuits into one billing system, plus we have a management platform for IT service management. It's made the process a lot smoother.
Since you'll have new circuits in 50 state capitals, it might be worth checking if any single carrier already has established circuits in those locations. While I'd hesitate to put all sites on one carrier, consolidating as much as possible could simplify payment and give you more negotiating power.
What type of fiber are you looking at? Are you thinking about PON (Passive Optical Network) or metro Ethernet fiber? They serve different purposes—PON tends to offer asymmetric data rates, while Ethernet provides equal rates both ways.
I'd suggest issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for the services you need. Big carriers usually have extensive coverage and can subcontract for areas where they don't directly operate. Companies like Uniti Fiber or Cox Business could be good starting points.
You should start your search from the most critical location—this could be a data center, co-location facility, or your headquarters. Find out which service providers are available at that site and then reach out to them about extending service to your other locations. Using a single carrier can help avoid any potential bottlenecks between different ISPs.
I think what OP meant is they have locations in the capital cities, not necessarily in the Capitol buildings. That would be a complex situation to manage! But if they’re working for a lobbying group or something similar, the RFP route is definitely the best way to go. Just ensure they cover all the specific requirements.