NCTNA delivers secure, unshared, fiber-based medical-grade broadband built exclusively by & for healthcare providers. By leveraging MCNC’s NC Research and Education Network (NCREN) backbone, we offer unmatched reliability, performance, and peace of mind.
In healthcare, connectivity is one of the most critical infrastructure components—on par with power or water.
Unlike standard “business class, direct-connection internet,” NCTNA provides a true healthcare intranet: a dedicated pathway linking your site directly to the MCNC data centers in Research Triangle Park. That means your traffic never traverses the open internet—it stays within a trusted, secure network built for North Carolina’s anchor institutions.
Medical-Grade Broadband refers to a secure, resilient, and reliable system of connectivity and telecommunications that connects all the technology used in healthcare, like electronic records, telehealth, medical devices, and more. Medical-Grade Broadband is more than just Internet. It’s a connection built specifically for healthcare, especially in rural and underserved areas, where strong, dependable connections are more difficult to come by.
Healthcare organizations everywhere need more than just fast internet. Modern healthcare delivery requires a secure, reliable network designed for patient care. NCTNA’s medical-grade broadband is built to support life-critical applications, from daily operations and telehealth visits to data interoperability, electronic health records, and imaging transfers between healthcare sites.
Through our unique partnership with MCNC’s North Carolina Research and Education Network (NCREN), NCTNA can offer direct, fiber connections from the state’s technology core in RTP all the way to your facility’s circuit end.
You are not competing with local businesses or residential traffic.
24/7/365 network monitoring and
rapid response.
Performance optimized for healthcare applications and clinical systems.
Commercial connections are commonly shared, meaning that nearby businesses and residential sites share the same connection as your health care organization
NCTNA members enjoy a DIRECT CONNECTION to MCNC’s fiber intranet, even when the fiber is leased by other telcos to reach your sites. Up/down speeds are consistent, and the security of this connection is unmatched.
This also benefits health systems or healthcare organizations with multiple locations. With MCNC fiber, an organization can be directly connected to their other sites across the state, making the transfer of patient information fast and secure.
Every second counts in healthcare. Whether you’re transmitting a stroke patient’s scan to a neurologist or ensuring telehealth consults are crystal clear, network performance directly impacts patient outcomes.
With NCTNA’s medical-grade broadband, providers can rely on:
For healthcare organizations with advanced networking needs, NCTNA offers access to dark fiber through our partnership with MCNC.
Dark fiber (also known as unlit fiber) provides dedicated, unused fiber strands that your organization can “light” with its own equipment. This gives you full control over your network, from speed to security, with virtually unlimited capacity for growth. Dark fiber services can also be eligible for FCC/USAC discounts.
Dark fiber is sometimes requested by major health systems, research institutions, and providers that require more customization and control.
Benefits for healthcare include:
Dark fiber is sometimes requested by major health systems, research institutions, and providers that require more customization and control.
Operate on your own private optical network for maximum data protection.
Support emerging needs like imaging, genomics, AI, and multi-site data exchange.
You are not competing with local businesses or residential traffic.
From rural clinics to major health systems, healthcare providers across North Carolina rely on NCTNA’s medical-grade broadband.
In Western NC, WestLife Wellness, an FQHC, struggled for years with poor internet connectivity. Their phones failed regularly, fiber cuts left them offline for hours, and sometimes they had to cancel care altogether. With limited resources but great need, they turned to NCTNA after saving up just enough to afford a direct fiber connection. Thanks to NCTNA’s navigation of USF/HCF broadband discounts, we connected them to a reliable, medical-grade broadband line—cutting what would’ve been over $12,000 in costs down to just $5,000.
Now, they’re seeing more patients, expanding telehealth, and staying connected—even during storms—at a price they can afford. This is the power of affordable, dedicated broadband for rural healthcare.
In the aftermath of Helene, NCTNA received an email just two days after the storm from the WestLife staff.
“…By the Grace of God, the NCTNA network, and a generator, we’re still connected and can see patients.”
NCTNA is a member-led, nonprofit network dedicated to better broadband for healthcare. Let’s discuss how we can strengthen your organization’s connectivity and secure up to 65% in FCC discounts on your connectivity services today.
