Founded in 1911, Alphapointe is one of the nation’s largest single employers of blind and visually impaired individuals, providing rehabilitation, training and employment services to people across the Midwest region. Headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., the company has two additional locations across the state in Warrensburg and Jefferson City, as well as base supply stores at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri and Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas.

The non-profit organization’s mission is to connect blind and visually impaired people to the tools, knowledge, skills and resources they need to live independent lives and to provide for themselves and their families. Alphapointe’s 225 employees – 115 of whom are blind or visually impaired – provide life-changing services and produce products spanning a variety of enterprises.

Just as Alphapointe connects the blind and visually impaired to the skills they need to lead independent, productive lives, the organization relies on technology to conduct its daily operations. That’s why for the past decade Alphapointe has partnered with Time Warner Cable Business Class (TWCBC) for its communication technology needs.

Evolving from modem-powered Internet service a decade ago, Alphapointe continues to advance its TWCBC-provided communication services and technology to match its growing needs. In 2009, Alphapointe upgraded to TWCBC fiber, and today benefits from up to 100 Mbps Dedicated Internet Access, PRI (Primary Rate Interface), Business Class Phone and Television. The company uses Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to connect its remote locations back to its main network in Kansas City.

“We’ve established multiple networks within the organization,” says Tommy Herron, Alphapointe’s IT Manager. “Many of our business units have dedicated secure networks, which provides added redundancy to ensure we remain up and running at all times.

“Having a reliable, high-speed Internet connection is a must for us. We use the Internet for everything we do. We rely and live on the Internet. If it goes down for any time at all, we’re dead in the water.”

Always-on connectivity is particularly critical for Alphapointe’s online retail business, the organization’s primary revenue engine. Customers must be able to continually access Alphapointe’s online catalogues for office, prescription labeling and plastics products, as well as to place orders and make purchases online and via email.

Alphapointe Relies on Time Warner Cable Business Class Fiber to Help Realize Its Vision

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Reinhard MabryPresident, Alphapointe

“We use the Internet to drive adaptive technologies and apps that help our students negotiate daily challenges and even socialize with their friends. Connectivity provides the visually challenged resources and options never even imagined a few years ago.”

- Reinhard Mabry President, Alphapointe

“The national unemployment rate for blind people is around 70 percent,” says Reinhard Mabry, president, Alphapointe. “But it’s amazing how technology has made the world so much more accessible for visually impaired people over the last few years.

“At Alphapointe we use the Internet to drive adaptive technologies and apps that help our students negotiate daily challenges and even socialize with their friends. Connectivity provides the visually challenged resources and options never even imagined a few years ago.”

Gina Gowin, executive director, The Alphapointe Foundation, adds that TWCBC-provided technology is an essential component in the company’s mission.

“In our computer lab we train adults on valuable skills they can use to gain and thrive in employment opportunities,” says Gowin. “We also have a simulated apartment that utilizes a variety of adapted devices for learning activities that many of us take for granted in daily living. Think about things like making a phone call, turning on the news or surfing the Web. That’s all technology TWCBC provides us so we can help enrich our students’ lives.”

As the person ultimately responsible for ensuring Alphapointe employees, customers and students have access to the resources they need, Herron says TWCBC delivers.

“Reliability and uptime is our top priority,” Herron explains. “Since we switched to TWCBC fiber, everything has worked great. We’ve increased Internet speeds several times over the years and couldn’t be happier with our phone service. And our Service Level Agreement ensures that if we do have an issue, it’s remedied immediately.”

Herron also appreciates working with a single provider for all of Alphapointe’s Internet, phone and cable TV needs, as well as the support he receives from his dedicated TWCBC account representative.

“Billing has become much simpler,” says Herron. “We went from five bills to two, which streamlines operations and enables me to spend more time on business-enhancing projects. And if I ever need any help or have any questions, my TWCBC account executive is always right there with prompt, professional support.

“I’ve worked with a lot of providers over the years, and honestly, Time Warner Cable Business Class is the only one that I recommend. They give me the confidence to trust all our communications to one provider that can meet all our needs today and as we grow.”

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“Think about things like making a phone call, turning on the news or surfing the Web. That’s all technology TWCBC provides us so we can help enrich our students’ lives.”

- Gina Gowin Executive Director, The Alphapointe Foundation

About Time Warner Cable Business Class

Time Warner Cable Business Class, a division of Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC), offers a full complement of business communications tools to businesses of all sizes. Founded in 1998, its phone, Internet, Ethernet, television and security solutions are enhanced by award-winning customer service and local support teams. Through its NaviSite subsidiary, the company also offers managed and outsourced information technology solutions and cloud services. Today, Time Warner Cable Business Class serves approximately 550,000 business customers nationwide.

“Since we switched to TWCBC fiber, everything has worked great. We’ve increased Internet speeds several times over the years and we couldn’t be happier with our phone service. And our Service Level Agreement ensures that if we do have an issue, it’s remedied immediately.”

- Tommy Herron IT Manager, Alphapointe