October 19, 2005 Ottawa, Canada -- Nortel today announced two customer deployments that the company says further demonstrates its commitment to deploying broadband to rural communities, enabling them to provide the same high-quality, high-speed Internet services as are available in urban centers.
The Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative (MBC � Danville, VA) is deploying a Nortel packet-optical platform to extend broadband communication services to underserved rural communities in Southside Virginia. Called the Regional Backbone Initiative (RBI) for Southside Virginia, the 700-mile network will enable broadband connectivity to 700,000 residents and 19,000 businesses in five cities, 20 counties, and 56 industrial parks through a high-speed open-access infrastructure. The availability of broadband services is expected to ignite commerce and economic growth in the region by allowing communities to more effectively compete for new jobs, attract technology-based industry, and retain skilled labor.
Also, the Development Authority of the North Country (DANC � Watertown, NY) has deployed a Nortel packet-optical platform to bring high-speed broadband communication services to rural communities in northern New York. Named the Open Access Telecom Network (OATN) of Northern New York, the network is available to service providers on an equal access and open basis, allowing them to extend a variety of services into the region. Multiple regional and national service providers are already using the network to support residential and business broadband service offerings. Wireless operators are also using the network to help provide better wireless service coverage to the region.