Bristol Virginia Utilities (BVU) has contracted with Optical Solutions Inc. to deploy the FiberPath 400 optical networking system in an aerial overbuild to the businesses of Bristol, Virginia.
The high-speed network will deliver voice and high-speed data--up to 100 Mbits/sec--to 1,100 Bristol-area businesses in the first phase of construction. In the future, the BVU network will serve the community's 16,000 residents. BVU is implementing the project to foster economic development in the area and enhance the quality of life for residents, says a company representative.
BVU will serve as the network Internet Service Provider (ISP). Premise security services will be offered immediately; in the future, applications such as Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and video conferencing will be available.
"The bandwidth capacity of an all-optical network is nearly limitless, so this city will be well prepared to offer telecommunications and broadband services far into the future," contends James Salter, CEO of Atlantic Engineering Group, which is engineering the project for BVU. "Systems such as the FiberPath 400 are ideal for small and large communities because they converge voice, video, and data service on one scalable platform, so there's built-in service efficiency for the operator and the customer. One system, one network, one bill, and one number to call for customer service."
The Bristol overbuild marks the first significant deployment of the FiberPath 400 in a business application. According to Optical Solutions chairman and CEO Darryl Ponder, "Optical Solutions has been synonymous with Fiber-to-the-Home for several years, but the Bristol deployment should make it clear that our latest generation system can handle the communication needs of high tech businesses--and the needs of an entire community."
Optical Solutions's (Minneapolis, MN) patented FiberPath fiber-to-the-home solution incorporates a passive optical network (PON) for broadband delivery of voice, video and
high speed data directly to the home and community. For more information, visit the company's Web site at www.opticalsolutions.com