Internal Connections   

Today’s schools need the best possible “Internal Connections” -- the complex network of hardware and software that must serve every staff member and every student in your school or district. Internal connections includes servers, switches, routers, wiring, wireless networking, voice systems, videoconferencing, and related items.

Smart Solutions has been a leading partner for E-rate network projects since the program began, providing Tier One Internal Connections products from industry leaders including HP, Cisco, Microsoft, and Polycom.

Smart Solutions provides comprehensive technical services to make your project a success. Our technical services include:

• Installation, Configuration, and Testing
• Asset Tagging and Inventory
• Network Administrator Training
• Documentation

Our E-rate staff has over fourteen years experience (Year 1 to current). Our in-depth understanding of the program benefits clients in two major ways:

1. We understand what is needed to get funding approved. We do all we are permitted as a vendor under program rules to assist you in getting your funding.

2. We help you stay in compliance with E-rate rules. Every year, schools across the country are required to return money because they did not understand E-rate rules and follow them properly. Smart Solutions’ clients can be assured of strict compliance with the rules!

E-rate applicants are required to select the “most cost-effective” solution. Our track record of being selected for an average of $6 million in projects for each of the past five years shows that we are committed to providing not only the best solution, but the most cost-effective one as well.

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Basic Maintenance
   
With today’s sophisticated technology, it is a challenge to maintain the networks that are so critical to students and staff. Schools have a hard time keeping up with time and knowledge demands as well as budget constraints.

Basic Maintenance from Smart Solutions provides a unique blend of four important network maintenance services:

1. Upkeep Services  This includes technical tasks required to keep the network operational that are performed in an ongoing manner, either daily, monthly, bi-annually, or annually.

2. Repair Services Smart Solutions provides technical staff to be “on call” to repair network problems as they occur.

3. Equipment Coverage   All eligible network hardware is covered for repair or replacement on an as-needed basis.

4. 24X7 Monitoring   Help prevent problems before they  happen. This service includes checking backups and viruses daily. Not E-rate-eligible. For most entities, this is a small percentage of the overall maintenance cost.

Basic Maintenance can substantially reduce your technology costs. Budget limits are always an important consideration when deciding on technology expenditures. As one of the region’s leading service providers for the federal E-rate funding program, Smart Solutions helps your technology budget go farther.

• Your Basic Maintenance pricing proposal is based on an on-site inventory.
• Most of the cost of Basic Maintenance is eligible for a discount as high as 90 percent under the E-rate program.
• Schools pay ONLY for services provided.

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Telecommunications and Internet Services   

In our constantly-changing, technology-driven world, it is difficult for schools to understand and attain the type of connections needed to support the ballooning Internet, voice, and video demands of staff and students. As technology improvements occur, the need for faster, bigger, and more advanced connections grows.

The federal E-rate program helps schools pay for the Telecommunications and Internet services they need. E-rate provides applicants with discounts of 20% to 90% for the following services:
• Voice Over IP
• Internet Access
• Wide Area Networking
• Local and Long Distance
• Mobile Voice and Internet
• E-Mail
• Web Hosting
• Videoconferencing

Smart Solutions acts as an agent on behalf of many different service providers, and we are vendor neutral when we work to meet your needs. If you post an E-rate bid for Telecommunications or Internet services, Smart Solutions will “shop around” to find the best services and prices available from a wide range of partners.