CloudWyze Finds Public-Private Partnership Success

A North Carolina company is becoming recognized not only for its network expansion throughout the eastern part of the state but for its unique public-private partnerships that are bringing fiber-to-the-home in rural, underserved counties. CloudWyze, based in Wilmington (NC), describes itself as “a technology service provider that partners with organizations and communities to solve technology problems.” When CloudWyze was founded in 2012 by CEO Shaun Olsen, its concept was to be a turnkey managed service provider to help small/medium enterprises. A commercial customer could outsource to CloudWyze everything IT-related, from strategy to services, he describes. Because local governments are precluded from getting into broadband in North Carolina, Olsen helped to get a general statute passed that would permit public-private partnership between a network provider and a local government — particularly in Nash County — in order to address the problem. In addition to Nash County, CloudWyze has multiple public-private partnerships with other counties in the state. Due to the restrictions on governments being involved in broadband, CloudWyze owns the network and all assets that are put in the ground or in the air, if wireless. The company also is responsible for the customer relationship.