Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education (OSRHE)

PROJECT PURPOSE

OneNet, a division of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, requests ARPA funds to upgrade Internet2 connectivity. Internet2 provides secure, high-speed network connectivity tailored for research and education, serving 323 U.S. higher education institutions, 60 government agencies, 45 regional and state education networks and supporting more than 80,000 community anchor institutions. A significant portion of OneNet?s internet traffic travels on Internet2?s network. Recently, Internet2 upgraded their network connectivity from 100 Gbps to 400 Gbps. OneNet extends Internet2 service at 100 Gbps from their point-of-presence in downtown Tulsa to OneNet?s core hubsite at Oklahoma State University (OSU) ? Tulsa. OneNet has a single fiber pair on one pathway west from Internet2?s suite at the Lumen colocation space for service protection and very limited fiber pairs on the east path to OSU ? Tulsa and our network. The OneNet system utilizes these two fiber paths for its current 100 Gbps service with Internet2. OneNet requests $237,725 in ARPA funds to purchase new optical equipment to upgrade its Internet2 connection to 400 Gbps. The equipment will provide protected fiber paths at the full 400Gbps bandwidth to our hubsite at OSU-Tulsa. The funding request also covers maintenance expenses for the first five years after purchase.

EVIDENCE

A key takeaway from the COVID-19 pandemic is that access to high-speed, reliable, affordable internet connections is an essential resource for living in a digitally dependent world. Research demonstrates that investments in broadband infrastructure yield significant social returns as increasing access and usage of broadband technology leads to higher property values, increased job and population growth, and lower unemployment rates. Additionally, broadband expansion improves health and life outcomes by offering access to remote healthcare providers, online social networks and educational opportunities.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of reliable, fast broadband connectivity for Oklahomans. Students in both K-12 and postsecondary education settings transitioned to online learning, and many employers adopted telework arrangements in an effort to mitigate the spread of the pandemic. Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma ranked 47th in the nation for average internet speed and percent of residents connected. Data from the Federal Communications Commission shows that 79% of Oklahomans have access to broadband internet, compared to 94% nationally. Additionally, only 48% of Oklahoma?s rural residents have access to a broadband connection, compared to 74% nationally. Rural Oklahomans were disproportionately impacted by the quick transitions to online learning and telework that resulted from the pandemic. In addition to geographic divides in broadband access, low-income residents were also disproportionately impacted by increasing reliance on internet access to continue education and work during the pandemic. Approximately 40% of Oklahoma households learning less than $20,000 per year have no internet connection, compared to 6% of those earning over $75,000 annually. Research demonstrates that lack of access to reliable broadband internet links to poorer health outcomes and greater social and economic inequities.

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Project performance will be directly measurable by the increased traffic flow capacity available across the OneNet network to the Internet2 network.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

One-time project will not need continued funding