Phone: 828-859-3072   |   Email: staff@e-polk.org

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FAQ

What does PANGAEA mean? 

Pangaea [pan-jee-uh] means “the whole earth,” and is the name used to refer to the planet’s single landmass prior to continental drift. The name PANGAEA represents our belief in the power of the Internet to move the world closer together and bridge the digital divide. PANGAEA is also an acronym for Polk Advanced Network for the Growth of our Academic and Entrepreneurial Advantage.

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Who owns PANGAEA?

PANGAEA is owned by e-Polk, Inc., a nonprofit organization formed in 2003 to provide high-speed Internet service to improve the quality of life in our region.

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How was the PANGAEA network funded?

Using public and private funding sources (listed under “Company/Funding Partners”), PANGAEA has invested about $4 million in building the network.  Monthly service revenue pays for PANGAEA’s operating costs.

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Where is the PANGAEA network and are there plans to extend it?

The network is located in two North Carolina counties: Polk and Rutherford. The network connects more than 400  customer locations including every public school.   No network extension projects are currently planned.  Click on the PANGAEA Network Coverage icon for more information.

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What bandwidth levels does PANGAEA provide? 

Due to PANGAEA’s fiber connection to the internet backbone and our state-of-the-art routers and switches, PANGAEA can provide any bandwidth level to meet customer needs.  A simple phone call can have your connection upgraded within an hour.

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Does PANGAEA provide residential service?  

Yes we do. Service availability is determined by the proximity to our existing fiber route.

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Is the PANGAEA network reliable?

Extremely.  We have not experienced a system wide outage in more than five (5) years.  Several layers of redundancy are built into our network:  1) two downstream bandwidth providers, 2) two diverse fiber routes to reach the bandwidth providers, 3) rack mounted backup equipment, and 4) equipment insurance for our routers.

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What is fiber optic?   

Fiber-optics consist of a bundle of thin glass or plastic strands. This is coated or surrounded in material that allows light to pass through the fibers without escaping out the sides. Signals can pass through them at very high speeds from the point of origin to the destination, with minimal loss in quality or data. Companies use fiber-optics to transmit Internet data, voice telephone calls, and images for television or medical cameras.

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Does PANGAEA provide local and long distance telephone service?

No.  However, many of our customers use our high speed internet connection for voice over the Internet (VoIP) service.  VoIP providers can install equipment that will allow the use of our internet connection to transmit high quality local and long distance voice calls, at a great savings to the customer.

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How does PANGAEA compare to other available internet options in Polk and Rutherford counties?

PANGAEA’s focus is on business customers and community entities that have bandwidth requirements (cost or performance) that exceed the ability of their existing providers.

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What are the installation and monthly service costs?   

Every customer situation is unique. Therefore, all pricing is done on an individual case basis. This allows every single customer need to be addressed during the initial network evaluation. This results in pricing that does not include any subsidies or unnecessary customer costs.

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How can I get a quote?

Simply fill out the information on our “Contact” page.  Or, give us a call at (828) 859-3072.

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