Frequently Asked Questions

OSHEAN, Inc. is Rhode Island’s nonprofit research and education network and a member-focused technology partner for Community Anchor Institutions. More than 160 member organizations use OSHEAN services across education, healthcare, libraries, government, and community organizations.

Membership is open to Community Anchor Institutions — colleges and universities, K-12 schools and districts, libraries, healthcare organizations, state and local government agencies, and other non-profit organizations in Rhode Island and the surrounding region. Contact us to discuss membership for your organization.

OSHEAN delivers advanced networking, security, and cloud services. The portfolio includes 600+ miles of owned fiber optic backbone, Premier Internet with integrated Cloudflare and Kentik DDoS protection, Internet2 access, supported cloud connectivity, managed infrastructure, partner security platforms, governance tools, DNS with NS1, Fortinet-based SD-WAN, and concise 24/7/365 Network Operations Center support. See all services.

Beacon is OSHEAN’s 600+ miles of owned fiber optic backbone. It includes 400+ optical-layer backbone transport nodes and supports high-capacity regional networking for OSHEAN member organizations. Learn more about the Beacon network.

A REN is a specialized network operator that serves the research, education, healthcare, and public-service communities of a state or region. As Rhode Island’s REN, OSHEAN is the Regional Network Connector for Internet2 — the nationwide 400/800Gbps research and education backbone — and a founding member of the Northeast Regional Education Network (NEREN).

OSHEAN is a nonprofit governed by a Board of Directors drawn from member organizations. Meet the current board on our Team page.

Yes. OSHEAN ensures K-12 school and library members have content filtering solutions that meet the requirements of the Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA), with options that comply with the standards required for E-Rate subsidy funding. The k12.ri.us domain space is also offered free to OSHEAN K-12 members in Rhode Island.

OSHEAN’s Network Operations Center is available 24/7/365. Call (877) 390-4563 or email NOC@OSHEAN.org. OSHEAN members can use the Member Portal to access available network and service information, including ticket status and network analytics, in one place.

Reach out through our contact page, call (401) 398-7500, or email info@oshean.org — our Member Services team will follow up to discuss your organization’s needs.

OSHEAN is a nonprofit, member driven Research and Education Network focused on organizations that serve their communities. In addition to network connectivity, OSHEAN can provide solution engineering, project coordination, carrier coordination, managed services, monitoring, and ongoing support. The specific services provided depend on each member’s needs and service agreement.

Not necessarily. Some OSHEAN services are delivered over the Beacon fiber network, while others may be available through third party transport, cloud connections, or other supported network architectures. Availability depends on the location, required service, bandwidth, redundancy, and technical design. OSHEAN can evaluate a site and recommend an appropriate connection method.

OSHEAN begins by reviewing the organization’s locations, technical requirements, existing infrastructure, service needs, and implementation goals. The team then develops a proposed solution, confirms pricing and responsibilities, coordinates implementation, and supports testing and service activation. The exact process varies according to the service and project.

OSHEAN’s Beacon and Internet services include access to multiple upstream providers, Internet2, private peering, DDoS protection, bandwidth monitoring through the Member Portal, a dedicated Member Services account team, consortium pricing on select third party services, 24/7 Network Operations Center support, and continuous monitoring and notifications for OSHEAN managed connections.

Managed routing, firewall, DNS, content filtering, cloud connectivity, SD WAN, network monitoring platforms, and other security services may require a separate subscription or project scope. Each proposal clearly identifies what is included and which services are optional.

Yes. OSHEAN is an E-Rate service provider offering Internet and transport access to schools and libraries. OSHEAN provides supporting service, pricing, and billing documentation for E-Rate participation. Final eligibility and reimbursement are determined under current E-Rate program rules.