On the information superhighway that is the internet, the farther away a piece of content is located, the more traffic you must compete with to reach it and the longer it will take to load—a phenomenon known as latency. 

When it comes to streaming, latency means more buffering, low video quality, and a subpar experience for the viewer.

“Latency is a very important term in our industry. We want to have low latency in all applications,” Seth said. “That’s why we work with Netflix and other content providers to get the content as close to the customer’s eyes as possible, so that the end user experience is as simultaneous as possible.”

Now, instead of travelling all the way to Chicago and back, your request is sent to the Open Connect box in either DCN’s Fargo or Bismarck data centers. From there, the content travels along fiber optic cabling deployed by DCN, its owners, and associate members across the state, and appears on your screen within milliseconds.

As more households complement their traditional TV viewing with streaming services, the decision to partner with Netflix on the Open Connect Network reflects DCN’s ongoing commitment to evolve along with the needs of North Dakotans.

Broadband providers, such as SRT, have made the accessibility to care more convenient than ever before. With the framework and support systems of broadband in place, it’s possible to give care everywhere.

To learn more about BAND and how its member organizations are supporting care in their communities, visit broadbandnd.com

According to Liz Tofteland, program manager for ND E-Care, something as basic as dependable broadband can mean fewer hospital visits and greater overall quality of life for students at rural and under-served schools.

That knowledge brings the entire community peace of mind.

“We wouldn’t have this opportunity for our rural schools to have actual RNs available to them throughout the day without our internet service,” she said. “To know that those kids are going to be safe gives us so much more comfort.”

While broadband access is making groundbreaking new programs like ND E-Care possible, it is also improving the services of long-standing North Dakota institutions. Kris Nitschke is the therapy operations manager at the Jamestown campus of the Anne Carlsen Center, a non-profit that has been working to make the world a more inclusive place by providing education and support for individuals with developmental disabilities for more than 75 years.

High-speed internet access provided by BAND member Dakota Central Telecommunications Cooperative allows Kris and her colleagues to deliver more services to more individuals. Kris has seen first-hand that impact that this has on the Center’s residents.

“I am here because of the individuals we serve. They are amazing, amazing people and they teach me more every day,” she said. “Broadband can support them so they don’t lose the services. When you see them reach a goal more quickly it makes it all better and it makes for a joyous situation. You just get happy when they are happy.”

She recognizes that virtual “pen-pal” partnerships, as well as countless other educational opportunities, would not be possible for students—especially in rural areas—without the high-quality, dependable broadband provided by the 18 member organizations that make up the Broadband Association of North Dakota (BAND).  

“When we had the opportunity to scale out our broadband connectivity to all of our schools, it removed the technology deserts in our state, and it opened up the opportunity of equity for our schools,” she said. “Without that connectivity to our rural school districts, we would continue to have the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ as far as classroom technology.”

Creating equal access to technology in all North Dakota schools has been a collaborative effort; widespread broadband access would be of no benefit to North Dakota schools if the schools did not know how to best use it to serve students. Where BAND has laid the foundation, EduTech has provided the tools and materials needed to build a state-wide, one-of-a-kind classroom technology system in North Dakota.

EduTech is a state agency under the supervision of the North Dakota Information Technology department that provides technological support and instruction to all K-12 schools in North Dakota. This is unlike many other states’ structures, in which districts provide IT service internally.

Resources offered by EduTech include day-to-day support for PowerSchool, the software utilized by schools to manage instruction, grading, attendance, and finances; cybersecurity support and training for teachers, school leaders, and students; and professional development to inform educators on how to use data to better inform their instruction.

While serving as State Superintendent for the past six years, Kirsten has seen how other states are navigating technology in education—and gained a new appreciation for EduTech along the way.

“I have seen first-hand how fortunate we are to have the vibrant, robust program of EduTech providing these services to all of our school districts in the state,” she said.
“What they have done, especially in a rural state like North Dakota, is help teachers leverage the tool of technology and meet students where they are at in their learning journey.”

And virtual “pen-pal” assignments are just one way that North Dakota schools are leveraging technology to support their curriculum. Teachers rely on high-speed broadband connections to deliver adaptive assessments on laptops and tablets. They not only allow, but encourage students to use the Internet to seek out additional information on their lessons. 

All, Kirsten says, in the hope of preparing students for their future in an increasingly connected world.

For a the Mehrer family and their business, working with a broadband provider that is local and understands their customers is what makes their small town community feel like home.it when other businesses understand their customers and support their communities.

“They’ve seen my face. I’ve seen theirs,” says Shannon. “We know each other. There’s a difference.”