Navajo County and eX² Technology have joined forces to design and build more than 100-mile open-access, dark fiber middle-mile network infrastructure to expand broadband throughout Navajo County, Arizona. The network will provide Navajo County with the ability to sustain the broadband capacity to support municipal fiber, telehealth, education, and Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) for homes and businesses. Additionally, it will interconnect with existing fiber networks in the region as well as facilitate future connections to Phoenix, Arizona, neighboring counties and tribal networks, and an I-40 corridor expansion to Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Katie Hobbs, Arizona Governor, community members, elected officials, and local, state and national leaders joined the groundbreaking to celebrate the beginning of construction. The new dark fiber is slated to be available in 2025.
Benefits of the project?
- Creates an opportunity for high-speed and nearly unlimited capacity for the growing bandwidth requirements
- Will serve as an economic growth engine for Navajo County, enabling access to high-speed internet for the region’s underserved communities
- Increase competitive service offerings to drive down prices
- Create reliable, redundant connections for critical public safety communications, telehealth, online learning, remote working, daily use by residents and businesses, and an array of other local government services
“Recognizing a need for reliable, affordable internet and improved broadband offerings, the County commissioned a Broadband Strategic Plan in early 2021, and we’re now excited to be working with eX² Technology to construct a middle-mile fiber optic broadband system,” said Navajo County Chairman of the Board Jason E. Whiting. “This network will ensure the continuity of County operations and serve to provide reliable connectivity to residents and businesses for years to come. It can also help bring new businesses to the region by meeting the connectivity needs required to operate efficiently in today’s global economy.”
To read the press release in its entirety, click here.
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