EDLINK12 provides E-Rate Internet services to any Texas independent school district. Services include basic telephone support through a help desk during normal business hours for E-Rate eligible items, onsite support when necessary, firewall and DNS and filtering. Filtering is not an eligible E-Rate item, but is included and inseparable from this service.

Districts / Schools may enter into agreement with the EDLINK12 Telecommunication Network for the following services:

• Bundled Internet Access for single or multiple connections to EDLINK12
• Video Conferencing Services

Local T-1 line charges are the responsibility of each district and are not included unless the district is connected to the EDLINK12 Core in Waco.

Note: Before adding additional on-line services, please verify that your district has the appropriate bandwidth to handle this new service as well as existing services. Adding a second T-1 line and purchasing additional hardware (I.e. router & cache engine) may be required to insure proper performance of new services. An EDLINK 12 technician can advise your district about current T-1 utilization.

EDLINK 12 is composed of 54 sites throughout the ESC Region 12 service area. Members get value-added service through a
members-only site.

• 37 school districts
• 6 charter schools
• 2 private schools
• 4 ESC satellite locations Corsicana, Hamilton, ESC 12 South (Nolanville) and Teague
• 3 colleges (Hill College, McLennan Community College, and Temple College)
• 3 networks (TETN, RETN, and CTEN)

Network Infrastructure

In June 1998, the ESC Region 12 received a $2.8 million TIE grant from the Texas Education Agency on behalf of the Center, 48 districts and six private schools. The EDLINK12 Advisory Committee consists of superintendents representing each of the 12 counties in Region 12. The board meets biannually to review policies and fees.

Videoconferencing Equipment

The EDLINK12 Videoconferencing brings the future of education to your students. Distance learning content from a variety of providers as well as point-to-point videoconferencing among EDLINK12 K-12 districts are available. EDLINK12 supports Polycom videoconferencing equipment.