Alabama Research and Education Network

The Alabama Research and Education Network (AREN) provides Internet access for Alabama state government, four-year universities, two-year colleges, K-12 schools, and libraries. Legislative appropriations from the Alabama Education Trust Fund provide this access at no cost to a limited number of public schools and colleges. Currently, some new customers from AETF agencies must cover a portion of their costs. Customers from private schools, 'general fund' state agencies and commercial customers continue to pay fully for services at standard rates.

While AREN was once the domain of the state's research universities, the state's community colleges and K-12 systems represent the greatest demand for new growth. To meet their needs, the Authority developed and implemented a technical plan that expanded Internet access to all of the community/junior colleges in Alabama.

The Authority has become an Affiliate Member of Internet2, a cooperative effort of 202 member universities working together with private member companies and non-profit organizations to provide the tools for scientific research and higher education in the 21st century. As a shared resource for academic research, AREN successfully provides cutting-edge computational science tools and technology for all Alabama public education institutions.

About AREN