Background
For more than seven decades, Eastern Iowa REC has been providing quality electric service. As Iowa’s largest distribution electric cooperative, Eastern Iowa REC serves a diverse membership that includes traditional farm operations, rural housing areas, industrial and commercial developments, and recreational facilities. It covers all or portions of 12 counties, with offices in DeWitt, Lone Tree, Wilton, and Wapello.
Customer Needs
Eastern Iowa REC originally partnered with CEC for two-way radio solutions in 2003; the cooperative called on CEC again a few years later after an Eastern Iowa REC staff member attended a CEC-sponsored technology conference and learned that CEC also provided IT network support. At that time, Eastern Iowa REC was looking for a connection between its corporate network and an outside network, which incorporated 50 remote sites.
Solution
CEC worked with Eastern Iowa REC on its IT networking solutions, as well as an updated VoIP phone system. After the successful implementation of two-way radios, an IT networking solution, and VoIP, Eastern Iowa REC is now looking to add a GPS solution to its radio system in the near future to monitor its 40-vehicle fleet.
After partnering with CEC, the Eastern Iowa REC now has:
- Connectivity to 50 remote sites via a router, which allows the cooperative to assist with power restoration for its more than 25,000 members. These remote sites are monitored at Eastern Iowa REC’s corporate office.
- A VoIP phone system that has significantly improved Eastern Iowa REC’s ability to handle calls in a professional, technologically advanced, forward-thinking manner. The phones carry voice calls over Eastern Iowa REC’s IT network, so most problems can be handled by in-house IT staff vs. bringing in outside help.
- Routers/switches to handle increased IT network traffic. The devices are designed around a redundant fiber optic ring, which provides failover connection to three termination nodes, within the main office, and network traffic to its three remote offices.
The solutions provided by CEC are robust, complete, and show no mercy when pushed to the limits of today’s complex infrastructure demands.
