Kent Community Network – Free Core Bandwidth
Posted
Thursday, March 06, 2008 4:56 PM
by
PeterBanbury
Kent Broadband will now be centrally funded
We are very pleased to announce that, with the help of the School Funding Forum, we have developed a new, three-year funding strategy for broadband in KCC schools. The government specified bandwidth will be centrally funded and will therefore be free of charge to Kent schools. Full details are available on www.kenttrustweb.org.uk?broadband
Schools may purchase additional bandwidth at a subsidised rate. An upgrade to 30 Mbps bandwidth will actually cost less than the current school contribution for 10 Mbps.
Secondary Schools
KCN has recently invested £3000 in Secondary schools with a new router and filtering server. This year, we will upgrade Secondary’s fibre-optic connection to 100 Mbps capacity, indeed the upgrade may already be in place if you host a cluster connection to a local primary school. We have also been able to protect schools from the big price rises for telecommunications services.
Primary and Special Schools
Primary and Special schools are offered 2 Mbps bandwidth without charge. This bandwidth is symmetric and uncontended, i.e. robust enough to be used by 50 or more computers. It is expected that the 30 or so schools currently using ADSL will apply immediately for full broadband. Higher bandwidths will be available at a subsidised rate, indeed some schools can double their bandwidth for half their contribution to KCN this year!
Kent Learning Zone - Free accounts for all school staff
Headteachers will also be aware of the interest in Learning Platforms and that the Kent Learning Zone (KLZ) builds on the DCSF requirement to make communication and collaboration tools available to every school. I am therefore also pleased to advise that as part of the KCN offer basic KLZ accounts will be available free for school staff as part of a KLZ roll-out starting in Term 05. For more information on KLZ please contact Richard Packham (richard.packham@kent.gov.uk) or visit www.eiskent.co.uk?klz .
If you would like to discuss broadband policy or the KCN, please contact Peter Banbury (peter.banbury@kent.gov.uk) or for technical issues the KCN Helpdesk on 01622 206040.
Regards
The KCN Team