Feb 20 2010
Zayo Bandwidth, a regional provider of fiber-based bandwidth infrastructure solutions for carrier, enterprise and government customers, announced today, that it has been awarded $25.1M from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to connect 21 Ivy Tech Community College campuses to the I-Light network, Indiana's high-performance, optical-fiber telecommunications network for research and education.
The award also will allow Zayo Bandwidth to expand broadband connectivity to certain unserved and underserved areas across the State of Indiana.
Zayo Bandwidth will add 620 miles of fiber to its existing 2,750 mile network across the state. The new network will pass through 80 communities in unserved and underserved regions that include 480,300 households, 49,070 businesses, 3,270 health centers, 420 public safety centers, 1,070 education centers and 2380 government centers.
The total project cost will be $35.8M which includes $4.4M of Zayo in-kind contribution and $6.3M of Zayo cash match. The project announced today is part of a $7.2 billion program being implemented under the Recovery Act to expand broadband access and adoption across the country.
"Expanding the broadband network in Indiana will not only support the educational system but will also provide access to new markets for businesses and individuals that will ultimately translate into sustainable economic development in these rural communities," stated Christopher Morley, CFO, Zayo Bandwidth. "We are thrilled that we could facilitate this expansion and look forward to seeing the broadband network build come to fruition."