Optimum Lightpath Revs up NY Non-Profit

Family Service League, a non-profit in the New York metropolitan area, is enjoying the fruits of Optimum Lightpath's labor. The 83-year-old organization has migrated from a frame relay system to Optimum Lightpath's all-fiber optic network, connected its headquarters and several of its regional centers, and increased network capacity by 700 percent.

"The speed inherent (to fiber has) allowed us to run software that will help us run our business better," said Larry Daniels, director of operations, Family Service League. "The network was becoming so slow that everyone had waiting time for transactions .... We needed additional software on our system to run an (HR program), and the system couldn't handle it. Getting higher speed (from fiber) is where the efficiencies are."

When Family Service League issued an RFP approximately two-and-a-half to three years ago, it requested 6 Mbps to 7 Mbps. Optimum Lightpath offered 10 Mbps at no additional cost. "It was an offer we couldn't refuse," Daniels said.

In addition, Optimum Lightpath came highly recommended from a large organization in Nassau County, NY. "They had switched to Lightpath and were extremely pleased with the service," Daniels said. "From my standpoint, that is a big concern. Sometimes when you deal with large companies, you might get the price but not the service." Daniels noted that of the five players responding to the RFP, two dropped out before the process was complete.

Quick timing

Installation took less than two months even though fiber had to be laid at some of the locations. "We were amazed at the number of people involved," Daniels said. Some routers needed to be updated and switches replaced, but the whole transition was "fairly transparent."

Upgrading the network has doubled the number of people at Family Services League with access to email and has enabled redundancy, security and disaster recovery measures. The organization is running a number of Web-based applications with greater efficiency and is developing an electronic case record system, Daniels said.

As a non-profit, Family Service League is responsible for submitting a variety of data to various local, state and federal agencies. "We needed a robust system, and that is what we have," Daniels added.

Optimum Lightpath is known for its commitment to metro Ethernet services, having dropped its SONET and TDM-based offerings as far back as 2005. (For more, click here.) The company received the Frost & Sullivan North American Ethernet Service Emerging Company of the Year in 2008.

- Monta Monaco Hernon

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