CALGARY – Axia has been selected as the network operator for the MassBroadband 123 fibre network in Massachusetts.
Spearheaded by the Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI), MassBroadband 123 will include 1,338 miles of fibre backhaul infrastructure and electronics connecting more than 120 communities in western and north central Massachusetts, and, will initially connect approximately 1,400 government institutions. It will also serve as comprehensive middle-mile open access next generation network infrastructure, allowing for extensions to connect directly to premises and providing backhaul connectivity to a global gateway in Boston.
Axia said that it will offer wholesale services to retail service providers using its open access, "do not compete with your customer" approach, as well invest in the on-going operations and in providing fibre optic connections to the network in response to market demand. It estimates that the combination of these two activities, over the life of the ten year contract, will be in the range of US$30 million to $45 million.
"We are delighted to be supporting the Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ broadband initiative and welcome this opportunity to establish a business in the United States as part of a long-term partnership”, said Murray Sigler, president of Axia North America, in the announcement. “This is our first NGN in the United States and we are excited about building our business with Massachusetts as our United States base of operations."
