Recent investments in HFN’s network help meet increasing demand and growth
Over 20 years ago, master developer Port Blakely designed Highlands Fiber Network’s (HFN) network architecture to create an open network where users could see their neighbor’s devices and participate in online gatherings, like LAN parties. Over time, this architecture has proven increasingly problematic as it exposes many residents to problems created by misconfigured or malfunctioning equipment on the network. HFN monitors the network to identify common signatures of these problems and attempts to isolate (turn off) the offending resident or device until we resolve the issue. We continue to investigate rearchitecting the network to eliminate these issues; however, the solutions are costly and inconvenient to customers as these solutions require in-home equipment upgrades. Meanwhile, HFN continues working to mitigate these challenges and provide the best internet experience possible.
Over the last two decades, we have made significant investments to upgrade key infrastructure while building the network as our community grows. Upgrades made at the beginning of the pandemic allowed HFN to meet the increased demands of the last two years when most of us attended school or worked from home. More recently, there was an additional investment in new data center equipment to help isolate and prevent network events that degrade the resident experience. These upgrades help in the prevention of network events and with additional bandwidth capacity.
Upgrades will continue with deploying additional core network electronics that (once deployed and configured) will have better isolation capabilities and strengthen the user experience. Building on these upgrades, HFN is also investing in the fiber network itself, with planned upgrades to fiber cabling throughout the community. We also plan to deploy faster, scalable, and more resilient network equipment in our data centers, enabling stronger and more consistent network speeds. These steps will open opportunities for speeds faster than a gig and provide more bandwidth for additional services.
HFN is owned and managed by the Issaquah Highlands community, focused on providing the very best internet experience possible. As we plan for the future, HFN works daily to address every resident concern and resolve every issue. If you ever feel your HFN connection is not working as expected, please contact HFN customer support anytime at 425-427-0999 or email support@hfnservices.com.
HFN has been here since the earliest days of the community and will continue to expand with new capabilities, scaling to meet community needs far into the future.
Jeremy Fallt is the HFN general manager and a Central Park resident.
