Provider Spotlight: Network Business Systems, Inc
Roxana Ryan
Published: December 4, 2013
Tell us about your Geneseo-based internet company, Network Business Systems, Inc.
NBS is a full service WISP, starting in business as a software designer and consultant in 1991. We started the WISP in 1999 due to the lack of high speed internet in our rural area, and since have acquired either completely or partially 7 smaller WISPS and one webhosting company. We employ 9 full time employees, have a network of 80 water towers, grain legs, private and commercial towers covering 18 counties. We serve over 1600 residential and commercial users, including several public schools.
How is your business involved in area communities?
Our WISP network infrastructure is primarily based on exclusive ongoing contracts with tower owners where we trade for service. This puts the rubber to the road. Our trade users include many PDs, 911 backup, city halls, fire dept., water facilities, large farm operations, etc. NBS provides free WIFI to county fairs, town gatherings, and many other business and private functions. We also provide free websites to many churches and non profit organizations.
You recently applied for a $250,000 small business grant. How would this funding help you to better serve the region?
NBS is committed to providing the best service in our coverage area and have over 22 years operation from the same location. We would immediately use the grant money to expand even further into our existing coverage area where we have gaps in coverage, including many small towns where there may only be cable or satellite. We would also continue to fortify our network to provide the maximum "up" time and a fully operational BGP layer from at least three backbone providers we currently use.
What challenges can you identify for your business, and how do you plan to overcome them?
Beyond the technical challenges we constantly face, our biggest challenges are market awareness and unfair competition. We have focused the last 3-5 years in deploying truly upgradable and scalable infrastructure to allow for the rapid changes in internet needs. We continue to employ newspaper ads, direct mail, telephone campaigns, fairs and business shows, and involvement in community and private functions for good will. For 2013 and 2014 we have dedicated a budget for this.
Tell us about the NBS team and your employees.
NBS has a veteran skill set in software development, hardware and networking, website development, graphic art skills, sales and marketing, company management/accounting, and much more. We are self-contained in our business model and build and administrate our network end to end ourselves. We design all marketing materials, develop our own internal management software, install/manage our own phone systems, and have a well developed set of operating manuals and procedures to mange our business.