Sovernet Fiber connecting Brattleboro

Windham County-based Sovernet Communications has announced that multiple public institutions in Brattleboro, including the municipal offices, are now utilizing Sovernet’s high-capacity, highly reliable data services, with more locations coming soon. Eleven Brattleboro schools, three municipal facilities, Brooks Memorial Library, three healthcare facilities, Brattleboro Community Television, and eight State of Vermont sites in Brattleboro are included in the project, which is scheduled for completion by the end of the year. The new communications infrastructure will allow the institutions to take full advantage of the state-of-the-art fiber optic network that Sovernet is in the process of completing in partnership with the Vermont Telecommunications Authority and National Telecommunications & Information Administration.
Sovernet has now built over 850 miles of fiber throughout Vermont, which will serve over 340 community anchor institutions such as K-12 schools, colleges, public libraries, healthcare providers, government offices and public safety communications. Sovernet’s middle-mile fiber project is improving broadband availability throughout its footprint. An improvement that, along with providing needed affordable access to its many anchors, will invite the expansion of broadband services offered to residential users and enhance economic development throughout the region.
‘Robust telecommunications infrastructure such as has been offered by Sovernet, supports the development of the economy and increases our capacity for cultural participation beyond the usual limits imposed by our geography,’ said Brattleboro’s interim Town Manager Patrick Moreland. ‘This project will no doubt add value to our existing community institutions and create an environment conducive to the generation of economic growth throughout the 21st century. We are delighted that a tangible asset of this quality is available to enrich the business environment in downtown Brattleboro.’
Cor Trowbridge, the Executive Director of Brattleboro Community Television praised the project, "With Sovernet's fiber upload speeds, BCTV can stream in full HD, making it possible to share live high-quality video of local events from locations on the network. This is a new and exciting way for BCTV to help community members share views and information about local issues throughout southern Windham County."
‘Brooks Memorial Library, with its daily demands of 19 public access computers and as many as 24 simultaneous wireless users, needs fiber to satisfy customer demand,’ added Jerry Carbone, the library’s director. ‘In addition, as the library produces content such as live lectures, workshops, discussions, we will be able to distribute this widely in real time using our Google videoconferencing grant equipment, or partnering with our local community TV station. We would not be able to do this without Sovernet’s fiber and the speeds it allows.’
‘We are very pleased that the Town of Brattleboro, Brattleboro Community Television, Brooks Memorial Library are among the dozens of Brattleboro community anchors that have chosen Sovernet to be their communications provider’, said Richard Kendall, Sovernet’s CEO. ‘We appreciate the abundant support we have received from all our community anchors, and are working very hard to deliver an exceptional customer experience for each and every one of them.’
In addition to serving community anchors, the new Sovernet network will provide wholesale data transport services to Internet service providers, telecom and cellular companies, as well as a full range of offerings for enterprise businesses. With the completion of the new network at hand, Sovernet has begun building laterals to businesses and carriers interested in the expanded services.
About Sovernet Communications: Founded in 1995, Sovernet Communications provides reliable Internet and telecommunication services to residential and business customers throughout Northern New England. The company is headquartered in Bellows Falls, Vermont with facilities throughout Vermont and southwest New Hampshire. Sovernet is in the final stages of constructing a 900 mile fiber optic network in Vermont, with funding through the federal BTOP program, and the State of Vermont, that will provide fiber-based services to over 340 Vermont community institutions such as public libraries, public safety agencies, municipalities, State of Vermont offices, K-12 and post-secondary schools and healthcare institutions. With additional fiber miles, beyond the BTOP project, Sovernet’s new network will span more than 1400 miles, and will interconnect with several other new adjoining regional ‘middle-mile’ fiber networks, including the New Hampshire FastRoads network, MassBroadband 123 and the ION network in upstate New York. ION, an Albany NY-based subsidiary of Sovernet, operates a 3,000 mile fiber transport network in New York State, and is also nearing completion of a BTOP-funded fiber network. For more information please visit www.sovernet.com.
Source: BELLOWS FALLS, VT ‘ October 23, 2013 Sovernet Communications