CONNECTED NATION INC

Internet exchange points (ixps) - in 2022, the organization formed a 50/50 joint venture (jv) with allied colo, llc and its principal, hunter newby a pioneer in network interconnection infrastructure called "connected nation internet exchange points, llc" (cnixp). The purpose of the jv is to build carrier-neutral ixp facilities in 125 regional hub cities across america focusing primarily on university campuses, at research & technology parks, and adjacent to military installations.ixps are hardened, secure, data center-like facilities in which internet networks of all types "meet, or interconnect with one another, to exchange data traffic. This is called peering. Local internet service providers (isps), middle mile networks, tier 1 carriers, mobile networks, education networks, and cloud & content companies (such as amazon and netflix) connect with one another in ixps keeping data traffic local that can stay local while making the routing of data traffic to points beyond more efficient. This reduces what is called "latency, or lag time, and significantly improves regional internet performance. Ixps also serve as regional marketplaces for wholesale and backhaul competition, significantly reducing prices for local isps, universities, k-12 schools, and ultimately end-users, while also fostering new direct network pathways into and out of the region, thereby increasing the resiliency of the internet for everyone.in 2024, cnixp received a $5 million grant from the state of kansas to build its first facility on the campus of wichita state university. This facility will be the first ixp in kansas, and is expected to be operational in the 1st quarter of 2026.

Education - the organization has led a range of k-12 education initiatives aimed at closing the digital divide in schools and homes. These efforts focus on identifying and addressing gaps in school connectivity, classroom technology, and at-home internet access - referred to as the "homework gap" - particularly among vulnerable student populations in rural or urban communities.through targeted programs and services, policy advocacy, and research, connected nation works to ensure that federal and state programs, such as e-rate, deliver maximum impact. The organization collaborates with executive agencies, lawmakers, school district leaders, and private-sector partners to promote best practices that improve school network design, increase internet speeds, and reduce overall connectivity costs, ensuring all students have access to the digital tools they need to succeed.philanthropic programs: the organization works with corporate partners to implement philanthropic programs that make connectivity solutions, such as mobile long-term evolution (lte) and 5g data services, available to students for at-home use. The organization partnered with at&t to distribute more than 40,000 mobile wi-fi hotspots to schools and non-profits that serve disadvantaged students. The hotspots included 14 months of free service. Building on this momentum, in 2024, the organization leveraged the amazon eero program mentioned above to distribute some of the eeros in michigan. These advanced mesh wi-fi systems were provided to families identified through schools, community-based organizations, and digital inclusion programs, focusing on low-income and underserved communities. The initiative was designed to strengthen in-home broadband performance, enabling students and their families to access online learning platforms, telehealth services, and other essential digital resources. This partnership underscores the organization's commitment to leveraging corporate collaboration to advance digital access for all.school technology inventory: the organization has collaborated with the utah education and telehealth network (uetn) to conduct a biennial statewide school technology inventory since 2015. This collaboration has been highly successful and effective, with 100% participation from all school districts and charters in the state of utah. The inventory portal and reports play a crucial role in providing meaningful data collection, analysis, and reporting to state, legislative, and educational leaders about the state of inventory for digital learning and teaching in utah.universal connectivity imperative: cn collaborated with the state educational technology directors association (setda) and other national education stakeholders to develop the universal connectivity imperative. This involvement included participation in the steering committee and working groups, as well as serving as a lead author. The report, released in january 2025, builds on the insights and research from three previous setda broadband imperative reports. It provides a thorough analysis of internet access in k-12 education, examining both the progress made since the last report and the emerging challenges. Cn contributed valuable examples of progress and policy recommendations to help inform this national report.