Comcast Business builds out fiber networks in Denver, Northern Calif.

By STEPHEN HARDY, Lightwave --Comcast Business has announced a pair of fiber-optic network expansion projects. The Internet and Carrier Ethernet services provider says it has launched footprint extensions in the Denver metropolitan area as well as in the Northern California towns of Pleasanton, Hayward, and Fremont.

The $10 million fiber cable buildout in the Denver area will enable Comcast Business to improve its Ethernet and commercial Wi-Fi offering reach in downtown Denver and nearby Aurora, Englewood, Castle Rock, Wheat Ridge, and other locations. Comcast will use the expanded footprint to deliver a portfolio of business services, including Ethernet Dedicated Internet, Ethernet Private Line, Ethernet Virtual Private Line and Ethernet Network Services at data rates up to 10 Gbps. Comcast also will offer Comcast Business VoiceEdge, its cloud-based voice and unified communications services package.

In California, Comcast will spend close to $2 million to connect its network to three business parks. The three parks serve a variety of industries, ranging from manufacturing to biotech to education to consumer products and services, Comcast says. The operator views the three communities as an expanding market, driven by the desire of businesses to avoid paying the cost of real estate in nearby San Francisco. Comcast says it will offer potential customers in the three business parks the same variety of services as in the metro Denver expansion.

The new fiber deployments potentially are significant beyond the immediate ability to serve business customers. Comcast recently announced plans to offer residential 2-Gbps fiber-optic broadband services in Atlanta and, eventually, other locations leveraging its business services infrastructure.

Source:Lightwave