EAST HARTFORD, Conn. (WTIC Radio) - Connecticut will soon have its first Open Access network with a $40-million-dollar project that will bring fast and affordable internet and other network services to the entire town of East Hartford.
The East Hartford FiberCity project is a fiber optic infrastructure project that is being privately funded through a partnership with SiFi Networks.
With the fiber network, East Hartford's businesses, municipal buildings and around 50,000 homes will have access to multiple internet and other service providers.
"The network will be a tremendous asset for our community, enabling internet service providers to deliver gigabit internet, TV and phone service to residents and businesses throughout East Hartford and connecting low-income residents with reliable and affordable broadband with the goal of bridging the digital divide," East Hartford Mayor Marcia Leclerc said.
Multiple service providers will share the fiber infrastructure which, according to SiFi Networks officials, will bring competitive service and pricing to the marketplace.
This will, in turn, improve user experience and pricing while protecting net neutrality, officials explained.
"It's not just a gigabit (GB) speed network. It's a 10 GB per second network that we're deploying from day one, so it truly is one of the fastest networks in the country," CEO Ben Bawtree-Jobson of SiFi Networks said.
Flume Internet is set to be the first provider to connect to the network. According to SiFi Networks officials, Flume will be providing deeply discounted Gig internet for up to 3,000 qualifying underserved households.
The first customers are expected to go live sometime next year, officials said.
The construction of the network will be done with micro-trenching technology. A machine will be creating incisions in the road where the fiber cables will be laid. The machine will clean the debris as it cuts and then the incision will be sealed, officials said.
Construction is expected to be completed by 2023, though a number of factors could change that, including permitting processes, allowable construction techniques and climate.
"I would like to urge East Hartford residents to be cautious and not fall victim to being enticed into long-term contracts with existing providers while the East Hartford FiberCity network is being constructed," Leclerc said. "Although such offers may appear tempting, they will not provide a comparative cost or speed that East Hartford FiberCity, once complete, will provide."
Residents are urged to visit EastHartfordFiberCity.com to ensure connection with the network and to learn more about the project.
