$44.8 Million Grant for Fiber-Optic Network will bring 500 Jobs to The Plus
Posted by ThePlus - 08.19.2010
OneCommunity, a nonprofit fiber optic provider, has been awarded $44.8 million to expand its broadband network, which in turn will create nearly 500 jobs throughout The Plus region. The grant, awarded by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Comprehensive Community Infrastructure program, will add almost 1,000 miles of fiber optic- cable to OneCommunity’s network and increase their reach to 27 counties across Northern Ohio.
The expansion of the fiber-optic network is great news for The Plus region as it will grant broadband access to organizations and institutions that may not have been able to afford such services previously. Institutions such as schools, hospitals, government offices and public safety facilities are all poised to benefit from the new network.
In addition to granting wide-spread access to a high-speed network, the fiber-optic expansion will play a significant role in Northeast Ohio’s economic development. As Governor Strickland stated “These resources will be quickly put to work to improve the quality of our education, health and public safety services – but more importantly, create jobs for Ohioans.”
Key partners in this initiative include Lorain County Community College, Medina County Port Authority, and the Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet). Construction of the fiber-optic network is slated to begin in the first quarter of 2011 with a completion date expected during the summer of 2013.
To learn more about this initiative, please follow the links below:
+OneCommunity Awarded $44.8 Million to Expand Broadband Infrastructure in 20 Counties
+OneCommunity awarded $44.8 million federal grant to expand broadband access
Source: OneCommunity Awarded $44.8 Million to Expand Broadband Infrastructure in 20 Counties
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