WLA President Rhonda Puntney's Op-Ed Piece in Capital Times

WLA blog

Rhonda Puntney: Crippling WiscNet would hurt libraries and schools. (Capital Times, 6/10/2011)

Excerpt: The proposed changes to WiscNet could result in schools, libraries and institutions of higher education paying two to three times more for Internet access from for-profit providers. Actually, it’s more accurate to say that taxpayers would foot the increased bill, or library patrons and students would no longer have the access they need and want. The policy changes would also disrupt the ability of the UW to pursue its research and education mission.

It seems helpful first to define WiscNet and BadgerNet, since confusion exists about the difference between the two and how they would be affected by these policy changes. In simplest terms, BadgerNet is a public-private partnership that provides the wide area network, Internet transport, video applications and network services throughout the state. It is the pipeline. [Emphasis added.]

WiscNet is one of the Internet service providers (ISPs) from which BadgerNet customers can choose. It provides what flows through the pipeline. WiscNet was created in 1990 by the UW, long before most telephone companies could even be called ISPs. In fact, one could say that WiscNet brought the Internet to Wisconsin. WiscNet has become the ISP of choice for 450 educational and community institutions: All public institutions of higher education, 95 percent of public libraries and 80 percent of schools currently use WiscNet.

Related WiscNet posts:

Nass letter to Fitzgerald and Vos.  (6/9/2011)
CINC response.  (6/9/2011)
UW response.  (6/9/2011)
Manna from heaven.  (6/8/2011)

Fiasco:  School Administrators Alliance unhappy with JFC WiscNet action.  (6/8/2011)

Sen. Pam Galloway and Rep. Jerry Petrowski need to hear about WiscNet from their constituents.  (6/8/2011)
But, federal funds to expand high-speed Internet could be reviewed.  (6/8/2011)

Sen. Vinehout statement.  (6/7/2011)
Rep. Clark statement.  (6/7/2011)
Tony Evers' memo.  (6/7/2011)
Unintended consequence of section 25?  (6/7/2011)
Section 23: what the fuss is about.  (6/7/2011)
A crowbar:  A tool we don't need for WiscNet.  (6/7/2011)
WiscNet needs your attention and immediate action.  (6/6/2011)
The end of WiscNet as we know it.  (6/5/2011)