FirstLight, f6networks collaborate for U.S.-Canada optical transport

Fiber-optic network services providers FirstLight Fiber, which operates in the U.S. Northeast, f6networks, which operates in eastern Canada, say they have partnered to offer connectivity between their respective footprints. The relationship builds off of a successful collaboration for a joint customer.

"Our relationship with f6networks is mutually beneficial, as we are now able to serve more customers in more places," says Kurt Van Wagenen, president and CEO of FirstLight. "Coupled with our recent acquisitions of Oxford Networks and Sovernet Communications, the relationship with f6networks further enhances our capabilities to the benefit of our customers."

The two companies first joined forces to meet the needs of a large industrial enterprise customer in Canada. FirstLight and f6networks say are now able to provide lit services to customers who have both a U.S. and Canadian presence. The FirstLight network has 9,600 route miles of fiber and more than 5,000 lit locations, with access to 20,000 near net locations, in six states with connectivity to Montreal. f6 operates an open access fiber-optic network infrastructure that spans more than 1,500 km across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, connecting to Quebec and the Northeast U.S. It also has a partnership with Maine Fiber. In addition to third-party providers, the company's network connects its 15 colocation facilities across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia and "almost all" the major universities in Atlantic Canada.

"We sought a relationship with a provider that had a strong presence throughout the Northeastern U.S.," explains Thomas Rivington, CEO of f6networks. "FirstLight has enabled us to offer comprehensive solutions to our clients and, through our dealings with FirstLight, we have gained confidence in FirstLight's network and capabilities -- a combination that is imperative to our customers. We see the potential for this relationship to drive continued growth in the future."

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