Friday, February 28, 2011
Met with:

Ted Mattern (WV State Superintendent of Schools)
Brenda Williams (Executive Director, Office of Instructional Technology)
Vicki Allen (Assistant Director, Office of Instructional Technology)
John Reasbeck (StratusWave Communications)

Meeting was held at Ted Mattern’s Office in Charleston, WV at the request of John Reasbeck – Ted is
someone I met during the Summer 2010 and we thought this would be a good opportunity for
StratusWave to develop a line of communication with the WV Department of Education, as we have
become a significant provider of broadband to public schools. Ted invited Brenda Williams and Vicki
Allen as they were aware of his meeting, had knowledge of who we are and the service we provided and
they felt it would be appropriate to be included in the meeting.
We began by discussing the existing networks in the Northern Panhandle of WV. Brenda (and Vicki) were
aware of the work we have done and complimentary of our ability to get broadband service to schools
that otherwise would not have had an option. They did acknowledge there were initial concerns with our
ability to install and maintain a network that delivered the contracted broadband levels but that they
(and Eric Petrucci) have been pleased with the service. They encouraged me to maintain an open line of
communication with Eric Petrucci and to continue to look for ways to improve network performance and
reliability with Eric. I assured her that our technicians had a working relationship with Eric as well as
with the IT Coordinators at the counties.
We then discussed Mineral and Barbour counties and the status of those two counties. We both
acknowledged the frustration of not being able to move forward more quickly and I explained to them
the backhaul issues we have been experiencing in both counties. They told me the state has been seeing
backhaul issues throughout the state were companies are constructing WAN Networks (similar to what
SWave does) and are unable to get backhaul to WV Net via the Frontier network. This makes these
networks unusable until the backhaul issue is resolved – also makes them unable to be billed as the
network must be operational before you can begin billing. I was told the Dept of Ed has a direct contact
with the WV PSC to address the on-going issues and that we should make the State aware of our issues. I
made them aware that we had a solution for Barbour County and although there was some delay in
getting it installed we were making progress. The State advised that we should order the 100 Mbps
circuit for Mineral County (as we have the contract) from Frontier and if unsuccessful to order a DS3
circuit in the interim and to report back to the State the response we get from Frontier. Finally they
recommended direct communication with the county.
In all the meeting was positive and I believe the State could be a valuable advocate for us as their
concern is with broadband to the schools, regardless of who delivers it. Further, the state had concerns
before the Frontier / Verizon deal was completed and their fears are playing out which has left a bad
taste in their mouth in relation to Frontier and the potential BTOP funded fiber construction.