DZS (Nasdaq: DZSI) says it will supply XGS-PON gear to Stratford Mutual Telephone to support a fiber to the premises (FTTP) roll out to unserved Hamilton and Story Counties in rural Iowa. The FTTP deployment will bring Stratford up to 1,400 new subscribers across the two counties.
The grant-funded FTTP deployment, supported by distribution partner Goldfield Telecom, comes as a result of an RFP managed by consulting engineering firm Vantage Point. As the winning bidder, DZS will supply technology from its DZS Velocity Broadband Connectivity portfolio as well as ONTs and WiFi mesh equipment from the DZS Helix Connected Home & Business lines. The former includes DZS Velocity combo cards that feature the company’s Any-PON-Any-Port (APA) technology. APA enables support of GPON, XGS-PON, and 10-Gbps point-to-point via any OLT port.
“Fast and reliable broadband connectivity is a critical necessity that people rely on to conduct their daily lives,” said Steve Frey, general manager at Stratford Mutual Telephone. “This network expansion is part of our ongoing efforts, supported by state broadband grant programs, to bridge the digital divide in rural Iowa. DZS, Vantage Point, and Goldfield Telecom have been long-time, valued partners of ours, dating back to 2005 when we were one of the first companies to deploy fiber and PON technology in the state. We are thrilled to build on our joint success by enhancing our network with industry-leading technology that will enable us to provide our subscribers, both existing and new, with unparalleled services.”
“Stratford Telephone has an outstanding reputation as a service provider ready to do whatever is necessary to support its customers,” said Andrew Finkelstein, senior vice president, North America sales at DZS. “By securing funding from government programs to improve and expand critical broadband infrastructure and prioritizing flexibility and ease-of-use in their network, Stratford is setting an example for other service providers looking to improve the quality of life in their communities through life-changing and hyper-fast broadband access. In addition to delivering immediate benefits to underserved communities, they are expanding their audience and advancing their services well into the future. We have enjoyed meaningful partnerships with Stratford, Vantage Point and Goldfield for nearly two decades and look forward to supporting their network expansion.”
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.