Able Information Technologies, Inc. joins Mohave Edu Services Cooperative Focus Group

Able Information Technologies, Inc. has been called upon to serve as part of a vendor focus group for the Mohave Educational Services Cooperative. Mohave is steering a course toward some exciting changes that will take effect January 1st, 2008, revamping their processes for receiving purchase orders, preparing purchase orders for vendors, invoicing and auditing. Mohave membership has grown substantially in the last few years; in order to continue to provide high quality, responsive services without raising prices, the purchasing consortium will streamline its business practices and redirect employee job descriptions. During the planning phase, two focus groups, consisting of 12 vendors and 20 members, will act as sounding boards to point out potential challenges with the new procedures and offer suggestions for improvement. Open meetings will also be conducted around to state to help prepare members and vendors for the transition.

Able is proud to assist Mohave in this effort, and to serve the educational community through our ongoing relationship with the Cooperative.

Dana Hawman
Sales Coordinator
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Service Feature - Scheduled Maintenance

Scheduled Maintenance With Able Information Technologies, all the capabilities and expertise that we use for our large design projects are ready to be tapped into through Managed Services and Scheduled Maintenance. We know you may just need a piece of hardware replaced. Or you may just have regular maintenance needs when an engineered solution isn’t required. Perhaps the need is a simple cable drop or switch replacement. Able can service those needs. No need for planning meetings, extensive project management or a detailed design. Able’s Managed Services Include:

• Switch and router programming and troubleshooting
• Firewall configuration and/or troubleshooting
• Scheduled and/or preventive maintenance
• Consulting and systems analysis
• Small-Medium size telephony installations and service
• Training

There are many companies that specialize – whether it be in telecommunications systems, network routing, copper cabling, and more. But with Able providing converged IT solutions you’ll never need two or three vendors to solve your problem. Hiring Able is like hiring every IT expert with every IT specialty even before you know exactly which ones you need!


Network Management and Monitoring

A network without management tools is ripe for network chaos. Unfortunately, when there’s a problem with the network it becomes everyone’s problem. Ease your burden when network trouble strikes by knowing about network problems at the first hint of trouble. Pinpointing network problems needs to happen fast. Take comfort in knowing that when it comes to troubleshooting, Able’s your fallback. Based on an analysis of your network, we’ll recommend best - of – breed solutions designed specifically for your needs. We help you with:

• Remote network monitoring
• Network trouble notifications
• Training
• Network Management – SNMP protocol

Chris Bisgrove
Director of Operations
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Able Information Technologies Garners Top Scores on Mohave Network Integration and Support Services Contract

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
February 02, 2007

Contact: Dana Hawman Sr. Editor
Phone: (480) 477-0167
Email: dhawman@ableinc.com

Able Information Technologies Garners Top Scores on Mohave Network Integration and Support Services Contract

School Districts throughout Arizona can Access Contract for Technology Consultation and Services

(February 2, 2007, Chandler, AZ) – Able Information Technologies, Inc. announced today that it has won a contract with Mohave Educational Services Cooperative, Inc. as an approved vendor for Network Integration and Support Services. The contract is available as a purchasing vehicle for the Consortium’s members, which includes nearly 400 Arizona K-12 school districts and government agencies.

The new contract went into effect on January 31, 2007. The one-year contract is issued with four one-year renewals, which are granted based on ongoing mutual satisfaction within the details of the agreement. According to Craig McKee, Mohave Director of Contracting Programs, 13 vendors submitted proposals, but just three were awarded contracts. The ability to perform under an awarded contract, experience and training of employees, and pricing were all factors in this determination. Able Information Technologies submitted one of the two highest scoring proposals. “We've had multiple contracts with Able previously, and they have done a good job,” McKee said.

“Because Able conducts a large percentage of its business with school districts and government agencies, our Mohave contracts are extremely valuable and effective tools for us,” stated Brandon Ames, President and CEO of Able. “We appreciate the professionalism and efficiency with which Mohave manages their contracts, and the value they offer to our customers.”

The Network Integration and Support Services contract replaces Mohave’s Professional Services contract, which expired December 21, 2006. It covers firewall software as well as technology consultation, network assessment, network design, network integration, system training, installation, maintenance, and other support services. Able also holds Mohave contracts for Telecommunications Systems and Erate Internal Connections and Arizona State contracts for Audio/Video and Cabling products and services.

About Able Information Technologies, Inc.
Able is a Chandler, Arizona-based provider of technology solutions for commercial, government and educational organizations. Since 1993, Able has been providing solutions for clients to solve their current technology challenges, grow their business and expand their organization’s vision. Able solves clients’ urgent needs while keeping in mind a plan to meet their future growth requirements. To learn more about Able, visit www.ableinc.com.

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Tick..Tick..Tick is your time running out for eRate help?

SLD Form 471 Due Date: February 7, 2007The time for filing 471 forms is here: The filing window for Fiscal Year 2007-2008 is November 14, 2006 through February 7th, 2007.

Strategic Technology Communications (STC) holds AZ State Master Contract # EPS060014-A6-1; a multi-year contract that you can access, along with the State's Mohave's Master 470 # 163890000546479; to simplify the eRate process. By referencing the Master 470 on your 471 application, you don't have to wait the usual 28 days to file; the waiting is over and the bidding is done. Let STC provide you with quality certified eRate services for all your Priority 1 needs.

Are you ready?
• Is your District prepared?

• Are you maximizing your Priority One Telecommunications services?

• Is your telecommunications infrastructure equipped for tomorrow’s growth? What about tomorrow’s e-learning applications?

• Are you looking for an eRate service provider who can design, install and support the most efficient, cost effective Priority One solutions for your District?

What STC provides?
• Priority One eRate services including:
- High bandwidth connectivity
- Internet Access
- Telecommunication Services
- Competitive Pricing

• Solutions designed with your District’s future in mind

• Personnel experienced in eRate eligible services

• State Contract procurement vehicle

Why choose STC?
• Owners of STC have been directly involved in eRate since 1996

• We care about Arizona’s future

• We are dedicated to integrity, quality solutions, and superior customer service

• Our customers are incredibly happy with STC services

• Arizona State Carrier Contract EPS060014-A6-1
- The state carrier contract was specifically designed to be eRate qualified

• Arizona Licensed Contractor
- ROC 214183
- Bonded and Insured

• Headquartered and Operated in Arizona


AZ State Carrier Services Master 470 Application Number: 163890000546479

You can find more information about Strategic Technology Communications, Inc. (SPIN # 143024856) at the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) website. Click here.

Debbie Long
CEO
Strategic Technology Communications, Inc.

Did the Window Close Before You Could File Your eRate 470?

IT’S NOT TOO LATE!

You can still file for your Priority 2 Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance by referencing the 470 and Master Contract available through the Mohave Educational Services Cooperative. Priority 1 Services can be filed using the State Master Contract and corresponding 470. For detailed information from the Universal Services Administration about using Master Contracts, see USAC Master Contract Brief.

PRIORITY 2 - CABLING - DATA - SECURITY - VIDEO - VOICE - WIRELESS

Why choose Able?

• Able Information Technologies has been helping Arizona Districts achieve their technology goals for 14 years

• Able has been involved with eRate since its inception; our experience allows us to recognize potential issues and troubleshoot before they develop into problems

• Able works with customers to create solid five-year Technology Plans that will meet and exceed state and federal eRate standards

• Our staff are trained and qualified to design and oversee installation of all eRate qualified solutions as well as integrating ancillary, non-eRate items

• Able holds Mohave Educational Services Consortium’s eRate Internal Connections Contract #05O-EABLE-1222; a multi-year contract that you can access, along with Mohave’s master 470 to simplify the eRate process

• Able takes pride in our reputation for service that is marked with integrity and complete customer satisfaction

Able Information Technologies, Inc. is committed to providing high quality networks that are both cost effective and optimized for maximum performance in educational environments across Arizona, serving even the most remote areas with integrity and complete customer satisfaction. We understand that value is of vital importance to our educational customers. It is not enough to provide solutions to our clients’ current challenges; in a world of rapidly evolving technology, our comprehensive solutions must also anticipate future growth, while avoiding overspending on technology features that may not contribute to the District’s long-term goals.

Able Information Technologies can help minimize the eRate hassle and maximize your eRate results!


Dana Hawman
Sr. Editor
Able Information Technologies, Inc.
2915 W. Fairview St.
Chandler, AZ 85224
http://www.ableinc.com/

Phone - 480-477-0100
Fax - 480-477-0200

Service Feature - Project Planning & Design Services

Many information technology providers offer planning and design services, but our approach makes our services truly extraordinary. It all starts with a team of Able experts focused on solving your challenges in a way that is solely customized for the goals of your organization.

Able’s team of experts consists of a Technology Specialist, Project Manager, Infrastructure Supervisor, Network Engineer, Project Coordinator and Cable Installer. Their goal is to professionally assess, manage and complete the project with respect to your budget and timeline constraints. Reporting independently to Able’s Operations and Engineering Directors the team ensures that the project is meeting your expectations and fulfilling your goals and objectives.

To start, we first meet with all the stakeholders – everyone and anyone in the organization with a vested interest. The goal is to collaboratively define expectations, and more importantly, look at what you want to accomplish and why. Budget, timeframe, implementation, physical and logical designs, risk assessment, and closeout expectations are all defined. Then our team goes back to the office, sources systems and software as needed and internally collaborates on the overall plan, including specifying the processes and team members that are needed for a successful project completion. A Project Plan with a defined Statement of Work is then prepared for the customer with step-by-step details and benchmarks for the job.

With disciplined planning and flexible execution, Able’s approach works in the interest of customers and creates a customer-vendor partnership that few other solutions providers can match.

Chris Bisgrove
Director of Operations
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Press Release - eRate Performance No Fluke for Able Information Technologies

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
January 3, 2007

Contact: Dana Hawman
Phone: (480) 477-0167
Email: dhawman@ableinc.com


eRate Performance No Fluke for Able Information Technologies

Able, Inc. Achieves 41% to Date of Arizona’s Total eRate Internal Connections Funding Commitments for Funding Year 2006-2007

Able Information Technologies, Inc. announced today that they have received notification of funding commitments for more than $11 million in eRate monies for Internal Connections in Arizona schools and libraries. This total, which includes commitments issued through 1/3/2007, equals 41% of all Priority Two funding granted to Arizona entities to date through the federally sponsored eRate program.

In February, 2006, Able surpassed its competitors by being chosen as the service provider for more than $30 million dollars worth of requested projects – 23% of the $127 million dollars requested by Arizona schools and libraries for projects involving Internal Connections and basic maintenance. “We were both thrilled and humbled to be trusted by so many within the educational community,” stated Brandon Ames, Able CEO, “but this new set of numbers validates our position as eRate experts: we hold 23% of the submitted applications, but we have received 41% of the funding to date. That means we’re doing something very right.”




Able's history with eRate goes back to the inception of the program when Brandon Ames, Able’s President and CEO, was on the board that helped design the original parameters for Priority Two Internal Connections. Through all of the changes that have taken place since then, Able has continued to be heavily involved, staying informed and proactively addressing concerns, helping schools throughout Arizona make the most efficient and effective use of their eRate funds. Able’s management philosophy is that working smarter for their clients yields a higher rate of success.

2007 promises to be a banner year for Able Information Technologies, Inc as well as the State of Arizona. As Milan Eaton, Director of Sales said, “Able is built by many people with one vision….results for our clients.”


What is eRate?
The Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as "eRate," is administered under the direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and provides discounts to assist most schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. The types of technology projects funded by eRate typically include telecommunications services, Internet access, Internal Connections, and basic maintenance of Internal Connections. Eligible schools, school districts and libraries may apply individually or as part of a consortium.


About Able Information Technologies, Inc.
Able is a Chandler, Arizona-based provider of technology solutions for commercial, government and educational organizations. Since 1993, Able has been providing solutions for clients to solve their current technology challenges, grow their business and expand their organization’s vision. Able solves clients’ urgent needs while keeping in mind a plan to meet their future growth requirements. To learn more about Able, visit
www.ableinc.com.

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Dana Hawman
Sr. Editor
Able Information Technologies, Inc.
Office: 480-477-0159
Fax: 480-477-0059
www.ableinc.com

Service Feature - Analysis & Assesments

Since the future of your organization is often enhanced or limited by your network technology, Able Information Technologies offers analysis and assessments in all areas:

• Network
• Security
• Cabling
• Network Traffic
• Common Vulnerability
• Wireless

We’ll help you locate weaknesses and determine improvements that will ultimately fortify the stability of your network and increase the confidence of your customers.

Cyber Security
Today’s networks face more risks than ever before. Hackers, viruses, worms and sabotage are real threats that managers are better off handling proactively than reactively. When we perform a cyber analysis for your organization we look at.

Data Integrity – We’ll analyze your current monitoring capabilities to determine if your data is adequately protected from internal and external threats.

Confidentiality – Firewall penetration testing and analysis is key to protecting your organization. Yet organizations require wide area access to it’s network to allow people to safely access information from the Internet. Able Information Technologies can help you set up virtual private networks and encryption capabilities. We can also analyze your wireless access to make sure that it is encrypted and secure.

Availability – Redundancy is a vital element to a healthy network. You’ll know exactly how vulnerable or safe you are when we look at your organization’s built-in redundancy and determine how robust your network is in case of attack.


Network Analysis and Assessments

Customers with a plan to grow their company think about the future in terms of short-term and long-term goals. Optimizing your network for maximum performance is crucial for efficiency. Knowing where your weak links are and what poses a potential threat to your organization’s ability to operate is necessary to be competitive.

Able Information Technologies looks at network analysis and assessment as a great step in getting to know you as an organization. As your partner we build strategic relationship -- all of which starts with understanding your organization, its goals and your network’s capabilities. We help identify threats, discover inefficiencies and help you make decisions that prepare your network and your organization for the future.

Proactive organizations appreciate Able’s network analysis and assessment services. Able specializes in short- and long-term technology planning. As your strategic partner, we encourage customers to plan for success. That planning includes preparing for technology investments that are designed to help your organization experience results – today and tomorrow. Able uses a network assessment process that asks you to think long and hard about your business goals.

In today’s competitive environment technology investments expenses are necessary to grow your business. A long-term plan ensures that you won’t be asking – “why didn’t we budget for this?” Learning the hard way throws off budgets and puts organizations in turmoil. Able can help you avoid all that with a Network Assessment and Technology Replacement Plan that includes:

• A Short- and Long-Term Replacement Schedule
  
• Technology Improvement Recommendations that address: budgeting and technology upgrades and replacements.
  
• A Growth and Expansion Plan – have a plan on how many people will be added to your staff. What technology will be needed to allow your organization to grow?
  
• Budget Planning
  
• Network and Security Assessments
  
• Bandwidth and Traffic Assessment --we’ll look at your current bandwidth and determine if it is sufficient to accommodate for your organization’s projected growth.

Security Assessment and Analysis

A Security Assessment and Analysis includes a full network security audit that addresses:

• Open, vulnerable TCP/UDP ports in external IP addresses, such as unprotected servers or firewall openings that should be closed
  
• Unnecessary or vulnerable services running on servers and workstations
  
• Firewall rule sets that either do not enforce the Security Policy or 'null' each other out to form a security issue
  
• Accessibility of data ports to the intruders
  
• Accessibility of wireless networks, if any, to outside intruders
  
• Vulnerability of password policies
  
• Network traces from various points in the network to get an idea of existing traffic (commonly called benchmarking)
  
• Attempts to access data from protected sources using common techniques and/or tools available to the general public.
  
• Attempts to compromise network equipment and gain control of essential network elements
  

Wireless Assessment and Analysis

• Wireless assessment and analysis includes:
  
• Equipment and capabilities review
  
• Determining throughput for Internet services and connections between multiple locations
  
• Identifying bottlenecks and slow downs
  
• Determining which applications are taking too much bandwidth
  
• Virtual Assessment with topographical mapping
  
• Line of Sight Assessment
  
• Final recommendations

Chris Bisgrove
Director of Operations
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Able Service Feature - Priority Response

Emergencies and unforeseen circumstances can bring networks down. That’s a fact. Able’s Priority Response Team acts fast to respond to emergency network issues. We know your goal is to get your organization back to doing business fast. And that happens best when the people helping you know every aspect of your network and care about your organizational goals. And sometimes on-site visits aren’t necessary. With remote access to your network, Able can see what the problems are quickly without sending technical staff on site. Not only does it save you precious time, but it costs you less to get back up and running. Priority Calls Able Information Technologies can help with:

System Recovery

• Telecommunications Repairs
• Short notice cabling needs
• Phone / voice mail system troubleshooting
• Server / workstation troubleshooting
• Wired / Wireless Network troubleshooting
• Networking / Telco cut-overs
• Telecom Room re-organization
  

Chris Bisgrove
Director of Operations
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

What is eRate? - Basic Overview

What is eRate? This may seem like a simplistic question for an eRate blog, but since we’ve had several people asking, let’s take a moment to post a basic overview.

eRate is a $2.5 billion annual grant program, funded by telecommunications companies and administered by the federal government, intended to help provide telecommunications and Internet access to schools and libraries throughout the United States. (Whew! I need a deep breath after that mouthful!) Schools with the highest poverty level receive the most funding, but every school and library can benefit with discounts and/or reimbursements on telephone and cell phone service, pager service, and Internet access (“Priority One” services). eRate funding also covers “Internal Connections” or “Priority Two” services – the fiber, servers, switches, and other network infrastructure that make the Priority One services possible. eRate does not, however, pay for the telephones, computers, and peripherals that make use of the infrastructure and services. Those items must be provided by the school or library. While that doesn’t seem to make much sense on the surface, the idea is that schools won’t ask for more funding than they need to support the computers and phone systems that they can afford. It hasn’t always worked out that way, but that’s the idea.

Unfortunately, there has been a good deal of abuse of eRate funds; sometimes school administrators have greedily attempted to stockpile hardware for the future or to request funds for servers stating they will be used for one (eligible) function, when, in reality, they are used for another (ineligible) purpose. Other times, unscrupulous vendors have inflated prices on package deals, delivering quotes that show only the eligible equipment, but providing the ineligible products for “free.” Practices such as these have resulted in rule changes and audits intended to close loopholes, snare shysters, and generally clean up a program that has tremendous potential to help our schools provide educational opportunities for all of our kids.

If all this sounds confusing to you, don’t feel alone. The ever-changing rules, required forms, time lines, eligible and ineligible product lists and other red tape leave a lot of people spinning. But in spite of abuse and convoluted requirements, eRate funding has been a huge boon to schools, giving them the assist they need to step education into the century of technology. They just need to be sure to have someone dedicated to eRate to stay on top of the process. In some cases, schools designate an employee to be eRate Coordinator – but it isn’t a full-time job (although it is a year-round job!), so schools frequently elect to hire a professional eRate Coordinator. Either way, it’s also important to use vendors who are well-versed in the ins and outs of eRate… vendors like Able Information Technologies and STC (brief commercial plug).

eRate can be confusing, and it does take some effort, but every school can benefit with thousands of dollars in discounts for essential services, and many schools are able to finance the infrastructure they need to equalize the educational opportunities available to the students. Next time you receive your telephone bill (both traditional phone service and cell phone service), scan down through those small, enigmatic charges tacked on at the end of the statement – do you see the “Universal Service fees”? In the final analysis, you fund eRate through these charges on your phone bills; you make the educational opportunities possible – so stay tuned, and we will help you make the most of your investment!

Dana Hawman
Technical Communications Expert
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

eRate Filing Process

Funding Year
July 1 through the following June 30 (non-recurring services through the following September 30).

Description of Services Requested and Certification Form (Form 470)
Posted at least 28 days before the filing of the Services Ordered and Certification Form (Form 471), keeping in mind (1) the timeframe for compliance with all competitive bidding requirements, and (2) the Form 471 application filing window opening and closing dates.

Form 471 Window
Early November to early February preceding the start of the Funding Year (exact dates for each funding year will be posted on USAC's website).

Services Ordered and Certification Form (Form 471)
Received or postmarked no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on the day of the close of the Form 471 application filing window (exact date will be posted on our website).

Receipt of Service Confirmation Form (Form 486)
Received or postmarked no later than 120 days after the date of the USAC Funding Commitment Decision Letter or 120 days after the service start date, whichever is later.

Billing Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form (Form 472) and Service Provider Invoice Form (Form 474)
Received or postmarked no later than 120 days after the date of the Form 486 Notification Letter or 120 days after the last date to receive service, whichever is later.

Appeals
Received or postmarked no later than 60 days after the date of USAC's decision letter.

Able provides Brand Development & Marketing to eSATS of Arizona

"A thank you: Brandon Ames, President of Able Information Technologies Inc. has stepped up big time in support of eSATS. We now have a professional image expressed with logo, cards, folders and marketing materials designed and procured by his team." - Ted Kraver

For years Able Information Technologies Inc. has provided planning, design and installation of turn key IT systems for schools. 2915 W. Fairview St., Chandler AZ 85224 480-477-0100 www.ableinc.com.


Brand Materials

eSats Logo

eSats Business Card

eSats Pocket Folder

eSats Slick

eSats Tri-Fold


Ted C. Kraver Ph.D. President eSATS - eLearning System for Arizona Teachers and Students Inc.

Mohave Vendor Appreciation Letter

Dear Valued Vendor:

As Mohave Educational Services Cooperative, Inc., enters its 35th year of serving Arizona, we would like to thank your company for helping us fulfill our mission to save members time and money by providing cooperative contracts and procurement support for quality products and services. Fiscal year 2005-2006 ended on a very positive and strong note due to the use of your contract by Mohave members.

Click here to read the rest of the story.

Dana Hawman
Sales Expert
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Able Information Technologies, Inc. Supports Future Workforce

IMMEDIATE NEWS RELEASE
November 21, 2006

Contact: Scott Soldat, Director
Phone: (602) 542-5565
Email: ssoldat@azskillsusa.org


Able, Inc. Supports Future Workforce

Able Information Technologies gives financial and in-kind support for hundreds of SkillsUSA members.

While continuing a long tradition of supporting SkillsUSA—Arizona’s annual computer maintenance competition, Able has also stepped-up to sponsor conferences, provide planning assistance and secure high level leadership speakers on behalf of the career and technical student organization.

Able’s latest challenge was to help SkillsUSA—Arizona develop a leadership camp that exceeded student and teacher expectations and lived-up to the high standards of founder and president, Brandon Ames. The camp will be November 29-December 1 and is designed to reflect leadership and employability skills that employers expect in people entering the workforce. The culture of the fifty person technology company includes the importance of giving back to the education community. SkillsUSA has provided many different types of opportunities for Able employees to get involved. Able employees have given workshops, judged competitions and Ames even personally spends all three days at SkillsUSA’s camp.

The SkillsUSA—Arizona Leadership Training Camp is the non-profit’s annual showcase student and teacher training event. Held in a beautiful log cabin setting in Prescott, Arizona, this leadership camp will focus on entrepreneurship, project and change management. According to Scott Soldat, Director, “The planning committee has taken team-building to a whole new level for our students and teachers. I like to call it team-building on steroids. We can’t wait for the students and teachers to experience the sessions we have planned.”

SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry, working together, to ensure America has a skilled workforce. SkillsUSA is a national organization for students enrolled in trade, technical, service and health care occupation education. The organization promotes pride in work and lifelong education. SkillsUSA emphasizes respect for the dignity of work, high standards in trade ethics, workmanship, scholarship and safety. It promotes the understanding of the free enterprise system and encourages the practice of democratic policies.

Scott Soldat
Director
SkillsUSA

Our History in eRate

Able's history with eRate goes back to the inception of the program when Brandon Ames, our President and CEO, was on the board that helped design the original parameters for Priority Two Internal Connections. Through all of the changes that have taken place since then, Able has continued to be heavily involved, staying informed and proactively addressing concerns, helping schools throughout Arizona make the most efficient and effective use of their eRate funds. We help ensure each district’s fulfillment of long-term goals and technology plans in accordance with eRate guidelines, and our engineering and project management staff are trained and qualified to design and oversee installation of all eRate qualified solutions as well as integrating ancillary, non-eRate items.

In 2006, Able Information Technologies was awarded the Mohave Educational Services Consortium’s Internal Connections Contract; a multi-year contract that school districts can access, along with Mohave’s master 470 to simplify the eRate process. The contract has been warmly welcomed by Arizona’s schools, and was a big factor as Able garnered a record 25% of Arizona’s eRate market share for the 2006-2007 Funding Year. Able’s ability to offer end-to-end solutions with a broad selection of manufacturers and products and our exceptional record for servicing school districts in remote rural areas as well as our more accessible urban neighbors were important factors in the scoring process.

New for 2007, Able has partnered with Strategic Technology Communications, a Priority 1 vendor, to offer coordinated eRate solutions. STC was formed by Able “alumni” in 1999 to provide connectivity services that were not available through other telecommunications carriers.

STC’s first endeavor was to provide point-to-point wireless connections for Bullhead Elementary School District. BESD had multiple campuses that they were connecting with T1’s, and they were upgrading to a VoIP phone system. Their Internet connections were unable to handle the extra bandwidth, and multiple connections were too costly. STC, working through eRate funding, deployed a wireless WAN between campuses, using 802.11b technology and high gain parabolic dishes.

“Having STC as our Priority 1 Vendor and Able Information Technologies as our Priority 2 Vendor has enabled our school to realize the fullest potential of eRate funding. Thanks to their expertise, we are successfully building a foundation for the future of our children.” – James McNutt, IT Director, Bullhead Elementary School District.

STC is easily accessible through their State Contract for Telecommunications and Carrier Services, a multi-year contract that school districts can access, along with the State’s master 470 to file for Priority 1 funding.

STC continues to be the connectivity solutions provider of choice for rural Arizona, and urban districts are also discovering the big services offered by this small telecommunications carrier company. Able and STC have chosen to focus on the educational market because our passion is helping children with their educational development. Arizona’s children are our children; when they reach their educational goals, we all benefit.

Tj Todd
Marketing Expert
Able Information Technologies, Inc.

Arizona eRate Experts

Greetings,

Welcome to the AZ-eRate Experts Blog.

This blog is about the Learning and Sharing of information. We are here to share vital eRate information with you and learn how we can better serve you as a client. We want you to visit this blog with the same purposes. Learning about how to develop your 5 year eRate plan, how to successfully file your paperwork and finally how to get the most out of your eRate funding. We want you to share with us what concerns you the most, what obstacles that are in your way and how we can help you achieve your educational goals.

We've been involved in eRate since the inception of the program and enjoy the process of helping people. For over 9 years we've been helping school districts with their eRate filing process and have become the #1 eRate Service Provider in the SouthWest. With over 34 million in eRate submissions in the state of Arizona last year, we accounted for 25% of the eRate market share. That gave us 10% market separation from our closest competitor.

We understand how complex the eRate process can become and we also understand that you might be understaffed and overwhelmed. Here at AZ eRate Experts, you'll find information that will help you with the inner workings of the eRate filing process. You'll be able to access critical information that will answer your most important questions.

After 9 years, we are confident in our ability to help you achieve all your eRate goals. We're understand that at this time of year, many will claim to be eRate experts. You and I know that performance, experience and commitment combined with customer satisfaction validates that claim.

For us, it' not about the business, it's about the relationship.

Tj Todd
Marketing Expert
Able Information Technolgies, Inc.