COEUR d’ALENE, Idaho — July 20, 2016: The University of Idaho’s Research Park received a technological boost this year thanks to local broadband fiber provider Fatbeam. Fatbeam, cofounded by Greg Green and Shawn Swanby in 2010, provides broadband access services to business enterprises, healthcare, education, and government customers in the Western United States. The $3.2 million donation includes two Fatbeam owned private fibers beginning at the Liberty Lake, Washington, Tierpoint data facility and traversing 65 miles across greater Coeur d’Alene. The donation of high-speed fiber optics also includes a long-term contract to provide 1-gigabit Internet access for the UI Research Park in Post Falls.
“High speed optical fiber is required infrastructure for economic development today,” said Charles Buck, associate vice president and executive officer of UI Northern Idaho. “This partnership and generous donation from Fatbeam will enable us to better support technology business development. Coupled with our middle and high school computer science training efforts to build tech awareness, workforce training in cybersecurity, and bachelor’s degree in computer science education, this gift will support an emerging tech strength right here in northern Idaho.”
The Research Park will soon be home to UI’s Cybersecurity Training and Operations Center (CTOC) Lab. CTOC will offer cybersecurity workshops and training for regional businesses, as well as be a resource for students in the computer science education program that is a partnership between UI and North Idaho College.
“Today as you look at the cyber attacks on our government systems — like the FAA, large banking and retail corporations — it just hit me that the careers and jobs of the future are without question technology based and security is of the utmost importance,” Green said.
Fatbeam, headquartered in Coeur d’Alene, owns 338 miles of fiber in markets throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Oregon and is in the process designing and deploying another 200 miles in other Northwest Markets. “It was a natural extension for us to invest in the idea and donate fiber optics, Internet access and human resources to the university,” Green said.
The secure line allows the CTOC to use the lab to study cybersecurity scenarios, such as the introduction of malware, without risking a public network. UI will also be able to use the line to demonstrate to businesses how their own networks may be vulnerable and how they may benefit from training, said Karen Thurston, director of the CTOC. Fatbeam has been a partner with the CTOC since it was launched in April 2015. The CTOC is funded in part by a two-year, $463,000 grant from the Idaho Department of Labor. Idaho businesses support the center through donations and covering the expense of trainings.
For more information about the CTOC, go to uidaho.edu/cdauirp. For more information about Fatbeam, go to https://www.fatbeam.com/.
About UI
The University of Idaho, home of the Vandals, is one of only 72 land-grant research universities in the United States. From its residential campus in Moscow, UI serves the state of Idaho through educational centers in Coeur d’Alene, Boise, Idaho Falls and Twin Falls, and Extension offices in 42 counties. Home to more than 11,000 students statewide, UI is a leader in student-centered learning and excels at interdisciplinary research, service to businesses and communities, and in advancing diversity, citizenship and global outreach. UI competes in the Big Sky Conference and Sun Belt Conference. Learn more: www.uidaho.edu.
About Fatbeam
Fatbeam is a Competitive Access Provider delivering data transport services to business and enterprise, healthcare, education and government customers in the Western U.S. While competitive telecom and broadband fiber capacity are mainstream throughout larger cities in the United States, Fatbeam focuses on underserved markets. In 2015 Fatbeam was voted #190 by Inc Magazines 500 fastest growing companies in the United States. www.fatbeam.com
Media Contact: Jodi Walker Director, University Communications University of Idaho jwalker@uidaho.edu 208-885-4295 Kennidy Thomas Marketing Coordinator, Fatbeam 509-344-1008 kennidy@fatbeam.com