In May, Sertex Broadband Solutions announced that it was awarded the contract to construct the initial phase of a GPON passive optical FTTH network that will serve residents and businesses in 24 towns in southern Vermont.
The state's Deerfield Valley Communication Union District, operating as DVFiber, awarded the contract to expand affordable 100 Mbps symmetrical internet service and voice over internet protocol (VoIP) services to reach nearly 5,000 locations, of which 4,290 are currently underserved or unserved.
Under the contract, regional fiber infrastructure deployment expert Sertex will install more than 500 miles of fiber-optic cable plant.
Scheduled to begin last month, the new construction will include stringing aerial cable on utility poles and connecting properties to the network backbone by installing cable drops from multiport service terminals to the exterior of unserved locations.
A 36-month construction timeline is anticipated, with completion in early 2026.
Established in 2020, DVFiber is a community-owned FTTH network with a mission of "providing universal, affordable, reliable high-speed Internet service that will support economic development and expand educational opportunities regardless of geographical location or income level." DVFiber member towns include Brattleboro, Brookline, Dover, Dummerston, Guilford, Halifax, Jamaica, Londonderry, Marlboro, Newfane, Putney, Readsboro, Searsburg, Stamford, Stratton, Townshend, Vernon, Wardsboro, Westminster, Weston, Whitingham, Wilmington, Windham, and Winhall, Vermont.
"We are pleased to have Sertex on our team as we work together to start bringing high-speed internet to the most underserved areas of our communities,” said Steve John, DVFiber's board chair. “Sertex's experienced leadership, community-based approach and quality work will be enormous assets to this transformational project."
Two hundred and fourteen (214) Vermont towns are members of Communication Union Districts (CUDs), including more than 76 percent of the state’s population and 93 percent of premises without access to 25/3 service. Six of Vermont’s 10 CUDs are currently under construction.
"We are proud to partner with DVFiber in expanding the Deerfield Valley's digital infrastructure," concluded Michael Solitro, CEO and founder of Sertex. "Our deployment crews are excited to begin connecting thousands of unserved and underserved residents and businesses in southeastern Vermont to reliable, community-based high speed fiber internet. We understand how important our work is. Gigabit connectivity is truly life changing in rural areas, as it opens new doors for remote work, education, medical care, and economic opportunity."
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