Monday, 30 August 2010 06:05

Volcano Communications assists $46.6 million broadband expansion

slide4-volcano_communications_assists_46.6_million_broadband_expansion.pngAmador County - Volcano Communications Group (VCG), part owners in the Central Valley Independent Network (CVIN), and in partnership with the non-profit Corporation for Education Network Initiatives in California (CENIC), has been awarded $46.6 million by the federal government’s stimulus program through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act The Central Valley Next Generation Broadband Infrastructure Project (CVNGBIP) is designed and developed by CVIN, a consortium of eight independent telephone companies which includes Volcano Telephone, Calaveras Telephone, Sierra Telephone and Ponderosa Telephone. VCG will participate in the construction, operation and ongoing maintenance of a 1371 mile fiber optic network which will traverse an 18 county area comprised of the western slope of the Sierras, and portions of the Central Valley. The new network will extend from Bakersfield to Yuba City and will provide much needed fiber optic commercial broadband services to K-12 schools, community colleges and universities, libraries, public safety, and all levels of government agencies. Additionally, the network will extend services to residential and business locations throughout the region. Local counties include Amador, Calaveras, El Dorado, Tuolumne, and Mariposa. The partner organizations together share an immense amount of expertise in the deployment and operation of advanced communications and network services throughout California. CVIN, LLC is a joint enterprise comprised of affiliates of eight Independent Telephone Companies located in central and northern California. These companies cover over 7,000 square miles and operate more than 1,700 miles of fiber and have vast experience in providing broadband services. Many of these companies are over 100 years old. On behalf of nearly all of California's K-20 research and education community, CENIC currently owns and operates the California Research & Education Network (CalREN), an ultra-high-performance fiber-optic network infrastructure consisting of nearly 3,000 miles of CENIC-owned fiber extending from the Mexican border to Corning and San Diego into Arizona which is the largest and most robust statewide optical network for education in the nation reach nearly 10 million K-20 students, faculty, and staff. “This is precisely the type of government and public partnership that has so successfully developed our nation’s infrastructure. Just as the build-out of the Federal Highway System enabled the flow of goods throughout our economy, so too will this network enhance the flow of the Information Super Highway in California”, said Sharon Lundgren president of Volcano Telephone. VCG subscribers will benefit directly from increased broadband capacity, higher reliability, and potentially lower cost services. Additional information regarding the CVNGBIP project can be found at www.cvngbip.org. Via Press Release This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.