History
November 2003 – NIUNet Project announced
2004 - The NIUNet Project Team laid the groundwork for the network. Milestones included:
- Identifyed available fiber optic cables beneath Interstate 88 (accomplished in partnership with the Illinois Municipal Broadband Communications Association.
- Explored a unique public-private partnership with DeKalb-based Internet service provider TBC to help defer costs.
- Negotiated a partnership with the City of Batavia to share the cost of installing fiber optic cable from I-88 to FermiLab – a crucial link in the NIUNet ring.
- Negotiated a partnership with the City of Naperville that allowed NIUNet cables to run through existing conduit, resulting in a savings of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
- Negotiated an agreement with Fermi Lab to establish link to Starlight in Chicago, allowing the establishment of a link to the Internet2 networks.
- NIU became a full member of Internet2
- Joined MREN (Metropolitan Research Education Network) – provided huge pipes into Fermi, etc.
2005 - Installation of fiber optic lines
- Finalized the private-public contract with TBC (actually a spin-off of TBC known as DeKalb Fiber Optic)
- Installed fiber from the main campus in DeKalb to I-88, sharing the costs for trenching and right of way with DFO. Installation completed in November
2006
- Forged a partnership with DeKalb School District 428 and connected most schools in the district to NIUNet fiber
- Forged a partnership with the City of DeKalb (sharing fiber and right of way) which allowed the city to create a high-speed network connecting many of its facilities across the city.
- Installed fiber from I-88 to FermiLab, working in partnership with the City of Batavia.
- Completed installation of fiber from I-88 to NIU-Naperville
- Activated and tested Naperville connection in November
- Lit fiber between DeKalb campus and Naperville Outreach Center and turned on Internet2 services in December
- Initiated talks with the City of Rockford and Village of Hoffman Estates to foster partnerships. (Those talks ultimately grew to include hospitals, schools, and other partners)
2007
- Working in partnership with DeKalb School District 427, extended fiber optic cables from main campus in DeKalb to the recently acquired Monsanto Building on the east side of DeKalb. This laid the groundwork to share a small amount of fiber with Kishwaukee Hospital.
- Extended fiber along Route 38 to Kishwaukee Community College, dramatically improving Internet access and lowering costs and connected District 428’s Wright School and Malta Grade School to the district’s network.
- Partnered with Sycamore School District 427, which connected to NIUNet near NIU’s Monsanto Building and then built a district-wide network linking all of their schools.
- Illinois Department of Transportation announces that it will install fiber optic cable on Route 39 from Rochelle to Rockford. This was the culmination of three years of work by the Northern Illinois Technology Triangle (comprised of NIU, Rochelle, Ogle County, Winnebago County, City of Rockford and Boone County) which had been seeking this important link for NIUNet since 2004
2008
- State completed installation of I-39 and activated it in June
- Installation of fiber in and around Rockford begins, working in partnership with the City of Rockford, the Tri-Rivers Health Partners. Several other partnerships with agencies in the Rockford area pending.
- NIU Rockford comes online
- Partnership with Hoffman Estates finalized, cable to NIU Hoffman Estates
- Connect to I-90 fiber between Rockford and Hoffman Estates
- Cable from DuPage Tech Park, north through Kane County to I-90 closes initial NIUNet loop
