MCNC to launch third annual 12 Days of Broadband for North Carolina

December campaign to highlight a dozen innovations directly impacted by high-speed connectivity in North Carolina

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Dec. 4, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- MCNC, the technology non-profit that builds, owns, and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), today announced the third annual 12 Days of Broadband will kick-off on Thursday with a series of stories about connectivity in the state throughout December.

Beginning Dec. 5 through Dec. 20, the 12 Days of Broadband will showcase a dozen broadband innovations that are benefitting everyone in North Carolina and across America as well as preview what's to come in 2014.

For more than 30 years, a growing number of research, education, non-profit health care, and other community institutions have connected to NCREN to utilize this leading-edge broadband highway. Today, NCREN serves the broadband infrastructure needs of more than 450 of these institutions including all K-20 public education in North Carolina.

MCNC continues to provide critical broadband infrastructure so institutions in public education, non-profit health care, public safety and government can meet their missions and help North Carolina citizens be successful in work and in life. This year in particular is significant for MCNC as the organization celebrates the completion of the Golden LEAF Rural Broadband Initiative, which over the past three years has expanded NCREN to cover more than 2,600 linear miles spanning the entire state.

"The 12 Days of Broadband gives us an opportunity to show how various investments by private companies, governments and non-profits in network bandwidth in North Carolina can lead to innovations that drive economic growth," said MCNC President and CEO Joe Freddoso. "NCREN has provided North Carolina an infrastructure that will scale to the needs of the digital world for the next decade and beyond, and all of us at MCNC are committed to continuing our business and partnering strategy to ensure our citizens and institutions are prepared to thrive in today's broadband economy."

It's been an exciting year for connectivity in North Carolina. One can only imagine what's to come in 2014.

Those on Twitter can follow the "12 Days of Broadband" using #12days or follow directly at @MCNC.

About MCNC
MCNC is a technology non-profit that builds, owns, and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN). For more than a quarter century, a growing number of research, education, non-profit health care, and other community institutions have connected to NCREN to utilize this leading-edge broadband highway. Today, NCREN serves the broadband infrastructure needs of more than 450 of these institutions including all K-20 public education in North Carolina. The recent expansion of NCREN and its capabilities allows us to customize network services and applications for each of these institutions more than ever before as we also look to further enable private-sector providers to bring cost-effective broadband infrastructure to rural and underserved areas of North Carolina. Our business and partnering strategy gives our state a real competitive advantage and is driving the new broadband economy in North Carolina. Visit www.mcnc.org. MCNC Social: Facebook, Twitter @MCNC, YouTube, Google+, LinkedIn

SOURCE MCNC