Louis Fox, President & CEO of CENIC

For 30 years, CENIC has built and operated one of the world’s leading research and education networks, connecting California’s universities, community colleges, K–12 schools, research laboratories, libraries, and other educational institutions through the California Research and Education Network (CalREN). That mission remains at the heart of CENIC’s work today. As the demand for advanced connectivity has grown, CENIC has continued to invest in and operate a world-class network that enables scientific discovery, innovation, education, and collaboration across California and around the globe.

Over the past decade and a half, CENIC has built upon that foundation to extend the benefits of advanced broadband infrastructure beyond the traditional research and education community. Drawing on its technical expertise, operational excellence, and collaborative partnerships developed through CalREN, CENIC has become a statewide leader in advancing broadband access and digital opportunity for communities throughout California. Rather than stepping away from its core mission, CENIC has leveraged the capabilities developed through decades of operating one of the world’s premier research and education networks to create new opportunities for a broader cross-section of Californians.

During this period, CENIC has connected nearly 1,000 public libraries, helping ensure that libraries continue to serve as essential community anchor institutions providing free access to information, education, workforce development, and government services. CENIC has also partnered with Tribal Nations to improve broadband connectivity for Tribal communities, and has extended high-capacity networking to hospitals and healthcare organizations, as well as arts and culture, science, biomedical research, and other public-serving institutions whose missions strengthen communities across the state. These efforts have demonstrated that advanced broadband infrastructure is not only a research and education asset, but also a critical foundation for healthcare, education, scientific discovery, economic opportunity, public safety, civic participation, and digital opportunity. Indeed, within research and education’s strategic goals of broad public benefit and social betterment there is a logical, natural alignment between research and education and the State of California’s goal of Broadband for All.

This expanding body of work positioned CENIC to play a central role in California’s Broadband for All initiative. In 2021, the California Department of Technology selected CENIC to serve as the Third-Party Administrator (TPA) for the California Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative (MMBI), one of the nation’s most ambitious public broadband infrastructure projects.  CENIC recognized that the initiative required a dedicated organization focused exclusively on supporting the State’s broadband program, and created GoldenStateNet LLC to serve as the TPA, providing the technical, operational, and program management expertise needed to plan, design, implement, and launch the statewide open-access middle-mile network.

Over the next five years (2021-2026), CENIC and GoldenStateNet made significant contributions to the success of the California MMBI. This collaborative work included spearheading the early stage, strategic planning of the MMBI project as a whole;  developing the statewide middle mile network architecture; producing engineering designs and technical specifications; establishing operational and business models; coordinating with state agencies, local governments, Tribal Nations, utilities, and private-sector partners; leading contractual negotiations with those partners; and helping to create an open-access middle-mile network designed to lower the cost of last-mile broadband deployment throughout California. Drawing on the experience of designing and operating CalREN, through its GoldenStateNet subsidiary, CENIC played a central role in establishing the technical and operational foundation for the State’s Broadband for All middle mile initiative.

As the MMBI has progressed from planning and construction into long-term operations, the State has selected a new Operating Third-Party Administrator (Operating TPA), Skyline Technology Solutions, to assume responsibility for the network’s day-to-day operations. This transition reflects the planned evolution of the middle mile program as it moves into its operational phase.

GoldenStateNet LLC continues to support the State by providing assistance in areas requiring unique technical and programmatic expertise while supporting the orderly transition of operating responsibilities to the State’s new Operating TPA, Skyline Technology Solutions. GoldenStateNet LLC continues to support areas such as designing network architecture, integration, and readiness for operations; customer development in support of sustainability goals; and monitoring the capabilities and performance of the network. This approach preserves continuity and enables the State to continue benefiting from the institutional knowledge, technical capabilities, and experience developed throughout the initiative.

To support both its continuing work with the State and a broader public mission, CENIC launched a new, independent 501c3 organization, GSN Inc. GSN Inc. is the parent nonprofit; GoldenStateNet LLC and Brightscape Networks are its two operating brands. GoldenStateNet LLC continues its work in support of the California Middle-Mile Broadband Initiative and other state-directed broadband initiatives, providing specialized expertise that complements the work of the State’s Operating TPA. Brightscape Networks extends this expertise to cities, counties, Tribal governments, utilities, community organizations, and new broadband providers committed to expanding broadband access and digital opportunity in urban, rural, and Tribal communities.

Through Brightscape Networks, GSN Inc. offers comprehensive expertise spanning the entire broadband lifecycle—from vision, governance, business planning, funding strategy, organizational development, and stakeholder engagement through network architecture, engineering, procurement, construction, operations, maintenance, and long-term optimization. Collectively, its leadership and technical team brings decades of experience across every aspect of broadband infrastructure development—from concept to sustained operations—enabling Brightscape Networks to help organizations successfully plan, build, operate, and sustain broadband networks that serve their communities for decades to come.

As California’s broadband needs continue to evolve, so too will the ways in which CENIC and GSN Inc. work together. CENIC will continue to operate and advance one of the world’s premier research and education networks while collaborating with GSN Inc., through GoldenStateNet LLC and Brightscape Networks, to apply that expertise wherever it can help expand broadband access and digital opportunity. Together, these organizations share a common commitment: leveraging advanced networking to strengthen research, education, healthcare, public institutions, Tribal communities, and communities throughout California, ensuring that state-of-the-art broadband infrastructure continues to serve as a catalyst for innovation, opportunity, and prosperity for all Californians.

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