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Networking Communities for Better Pricing
Single organizations with multiple locations, as well as separate organizations with formal relationships, can take advantage of the Merit Consortium Service. This service allows geographically remote sites to "pool" their required bandwidth for volume savings, yet maintain individual connections to Merit's network. One location serves as the lead organization and is responsible for billing and support interactions with Merit. Merit manages, monitors and maintains the circuits and equipment for the entire consortium, allowing a single point of contact for any issue.
Access Features to Merit Consortium Members
- Demand-based bandwidth
Bandwidth is aggregated across all consortium members, yet data traffic volume can exceed the base bandwidth level as demand fluctuates. Use by each member is limited only by the capacity of their physical circuit connection to Merit's backbone.
- Flexible configuration
Each member may connect directly to the Merit Network for immediate links to the worldwide Internet. Alternatively, consortia may be structured in a "hub and spoke" configuration with Merit managing the hub and tail routers.
- World class service
Centralized support structure allows the lead consortium member to maintain control of requests and monitor member activity. Each consortium is assigned a highly trained Merit support team.
Unparalleled Network Connectivity and ReliabilityMerit's regional, mesh network and peering agreements with national networks places Member connections closer to Internet content, providing your organization with a faster route to its destination than you may experience from another provider's network.
Merit's robust backbone boasts two physically diverse 10 Gigabit paths to Network Access Points in Chicago that connect with the commodity Internet and Internet2, a 10 Gigabit connection to Internet2 in Cleveland, over 25 peering agreements with private networks and content providers, as well as connections to other research and education networks in the Midwest. With the completion of our REACH-3MC broadband stimulus project, the Merit backbone will feature over 3,800 miles of fiber-optic network infrastructure that stretches across both the Lower and Upper Peninsulas and crosses the Mackinac Bridge. Merit, the longest-running regional network in America, is also the best connected.
Backed by a World Class Member Support Center
Merit's 24x7, Michigan-based Merit Support Center (MSC) is operated by highly trained staff who continuously monitor the backbone, as well as Member circuits and routers to ensure network availability for each Member. The MSC provides support 24x7, 365 days a year. The Merit Support Center, formerly called the Network Operations Center, has been monitoring high-performance networks since 1987.
The MSC assists Members with network connection issues and questions related to services, including MeritMail, MeritVoice, Merit RADb, Merit Colocation, and others. In addition, the Merit Support Center can assist with new service inquiries and provide E-rate support.
For more information about the Merit Consortium Service, please contact a Member Relations Manager at
or call 734-527-5700.
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