Data Centers Featured Article

Social Advance, LLC, and Sideways, LLC, Receive Fidelity Voice and Data's Colocation Grant

By Jayashree Adkoli, TMCnet Contributor

In an effort to encourage growing technology ventures, Cleveland, Ohio-based business voice and data services provider Fidelity Voice and Data announced a small business grant competition earlier this year.

 

And now, winners of this 2009 colocation grants competition have been announced. Two small businesses -- Social Advance LLC and Sideways, LLC -- were the recipients of the award.

 

Specifically designed to support technology companies who are intending to expand their data capabilities, Fidelity Voice and Data’s colocation grant helps businesses to lower their operating capital as well as expenses by utilizing the company’s enterprise data center management expertise.

 

Officials with the Fidelity Voice and Data said in the release that this grant competition is part of company’s community outreach initiative. Launched earlier this year, the grant provides small businesses a boost by significantly improving their voice, data and internet capabilities.

 

The recipients of 2009 Colocation grant competition will be offered free data center colocation services for six months, said officials in a press release.

 

Social Advance LLC, one of the winners of the grant, is a technology company, which enables traditional media publishers by creating social network structures around their valuable content.

 

Sideways, LLC, another recipient of the grant, is a mobile software developer, which develops applications for mobile devices, such as the iPhone (News - Alert) and iPod Touch.

 

“We are proud to grant our collocation services to Social Advance and Sideways,” said Robert Marks, president and co-owner of Fidelity Voice and Data, in the release. “This grant program reinforces our commitment to supporting entrepreneurs and local businesses and to acknowledge the economic impact they have on our region.”

 

More grant campaigns -- for voice, data and Internet service offerings -- have been lined up by the company for January 2010 and will be targeting the Columbus and Cleveland markets. The Internet Access grant program will be selecting 10 start-up ventures.

 

These businesses should be either less than one year old, have less than $250,000 in annual revenues or be headquartered in Cleveland or Columbus, Ohio, and utilize a single Internet T1 circuit. The top five applicants from each market will be granted a free Cisco (News - Alert) router and 5 usable IP Addresses for six months, said Fidelity Voice and Data.

 

Additionally, the company’s Commissioned Agent Program is strategically designated to facilitate area partners and vendors to expand their portfolio of services, while earning commissions.

 

Built upon a proven high-tech and entrepreneurial approach, Fidelity Voice and Data is helping local and national companies to significantly improve their voice, data and Internet capabilities.

 

Apart from bringing enhanced cost and network efficiencies to Columbus businesses, Fidelity Voice and Data is providing a positive stimulus for the local economy by creating opportunities for area businesses, say officials.

 

Moreover, Fidelity Voice and Data was selected as a 2008/2009 Weatherhead 100 Award recipient, an honor that recognizes fastest growing companies in Northeast Ohio.

 

Jayashree Adkoli is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To read more of Jayashree's articles, please visit her columnist page.

Edited by Marisa Torrieri