HCPS E-Rate Project

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), the seventh-largest school district in the United States, undertook a transformative project to modernize its network infrastructure, supported by the second-largest E-Rate award in the nation for 2023. Partnering with Advanced Cable Connection, Inc. (ACCI), HCPS upgraded fiber optics and network systems across 240 school sites to enhance connectivity and scalability for future needs.

 

Services Provided

 ACCI serves as a critical partner in the Hillsborough County Public Schools E-Rate project, managing the design and installation of a comprehensive fiber optic and network infrastructure upgrade across 240 school sites. Leveraging its expertise in large-scale education projects, ACCI is providing  fiber connectivity, and state-of-the-art networking solutions to enhance the district’s technological capabilities. ACCI ensured timely delivery, seamless installation, and minimal disruption to school operations, all while meeting the rigorous standards of the E-Rate program.

  • Upgraded fiber optic backbone to OS2 standard, utilizing 650,000 feet of OS2 cabling.
  • Deployed advanced network equipment, including:
  • 500 Cisco C9300x Fiber Agg 12-port switches.
  • 2,500 Meraki MS390-24P switches.
  • 7,000 Meraki MS390-48P switches.
  • 1,500 Orion NP1500Rtc2NC UPS units.
  • Supported 240 school sites with integrated solutions.

  • Key Aspects

    ACCI activated its extensive partnership network to select the best manufacturing and distribution partners, ensuring continuity in pricing and seamless delivery of materials for the Hillsborough County Public Schools E-Rate project. These partnerships have enabled ACCI to maintain stable prices throughout the project and ensure timely, efficient material deliveries. Partnering with Netsync, ACCI provided state-of-the-art technology through direct collaboration with Cisco and Meraki, ensuring level pricing and prompt delivery of network equipment. Netsync also played a pivotal role in supporting the project by assisting with the programming and configuration of Cisco switch gear, further enhancing the efficiency and success of the deployment.

    • Leviton and Berk-Tek: Provided high-quality fiber optic cabling and connectivity components.
    • Graybar: Served as the sole distributor and logistics partner, ensuring efficient material delivery and coordination.
    • Netsync Network Solutions: Acted as the integration partner, supplying and configuring Meraki switches and Cisco fiber aggregation switches at each school site.

Challenges and Solutions

The scope and scale of the HCPS E-Rate project presented unique challenges:

  • Complex Coordination: Managing logistics across 240 school sites required detailed scheduling and real-time adjustments to minimize disruptions.
  • Tight Timelines: The aggressive project schedule demanded rapid scaling of resources while maintaining high-quality standards.
  • Seamless Integration: Ensuring that new systems aligned perfectly with the existing infrastructure required careful design, configuration, and communication with HCPS IT teams.
  • Material Distribution: Delivering materials to numerous locations without causing site congestion or delays posed logistical hurdles.
  • No Downtime:  Being an educational space cutover work was performed overnight and ensure all systems were functional before school began each day.

Workforce Expansion

To meet project demands, ACCI successfully onboarded over 20 skilled technicians within two months, providing them with training and resources to execute installations at the required pace while maintaining quality standards. 

Seamless Integration and Configuration

ACCI collaborated closely with HCPS IT to ensure smooth system integration and eliminate downtime:

  • Low-Level Design Coordination: Aligned device configurations with HCPS’s management platform.
  • Automated Scripting: Used scripts to create uniform configurations for all network devices.
  • Uniform Labeling and Documentation: Developed district-wide labeling standards and provided accurate as-built documentation for long-term usability.
  • Extensive Pre-Testing: Designs and configurations were tested and verified before deployment to ensure that once installed systems performed properly to eliminate down time.
  • Extensive Pre-Testing: Designs and configurations were tested and verified before deployment to ensure that once installed systems performed properly to eliminate down time.

Efficient Logistics

Partnering with Graybar, ACCI streamlined material logistics by implementing just-in-time deliveries, ensuring resources were available precisely when needed to maintain project momentum. This efficient approach minimized site congestion, reduced downtime, and supported seamless progress. A dedicated delivery truck and crew facilitated the distribution of equipment and materials across the district, enhancing overall efficiency 

Results

Enhanced Connectivity: Delivered a robust, scalable infrastructure to support high-speed internet for students and staff.

Future-Ready Network: Provided HCPS with a system designed to accommodate future technological advancements.

Seamless Execution: Completed the project on time with minimal disruption to school operations, ensuring a smooth transition to the upgraded network.

“ACCI has done an excellent job in workmanship, planning and next day support.”

Denny Gay

Hillborough County Public Schools

 

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