$1-million pact

The Broadband Networks Division of Northern Telecom, based in Toronto, ON, Canada, has been awarded a contract to supply fiber-optic carrier and Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) digital switch equipment valued at $1 million to a statewide network known as the Massachusetts Information Turnpike Initiative. The network is a university-run program of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and consists of a fiber-optic backbone spanning 125 miles along the Massachusetts Turnpike from Boston to Westfield. The network can transport university courses to homes and businesses throughout the state, support the Commonwealth`s education and public-service initiatives, and establish a medical service network for homes and communities.