Ohio Coalition Including Zayo Bandwidth Granted $30 Million Federal Stimulus Award

LOUISVILLE, Colo., July 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Zayo Bandwidth, a national provider of fiber-based bandwidth infrastructure solutions for carrier, enterprise and government customers, in support of Com Net and the GigE Plus Availability Coalition (GigEPAC), will participate in the construction of 424 route miles along the 700 total route mile build.  GigEPAC has been awarded $30 million from the federal Recovery Act Broadband Opportunity Program to add and expand broadband services to 28 rural and underserved communities in Western Ohio.  Zayo Bandwidth is a Co-Direct sponsor of this award.

GigEPAC is led by Com Net, and includes Zayo Bandwidth, OARnet and a number of last-mile broadband providers.  The coalition will provide connectivity to schools, state and local governments, public safety entities, libraries and community support organizations.  Throughout and upon completion of the network deployment process, the project will also enable local service providers to connect to the open network.

"We are fortunate to be a part of these critical stimulus projects that benefit these rural communities through affordable and accessible broadband," stated Chris Morley, CFO, Zayo Bandwidth.  "The GigE Plus project is an exceptional collaboration that supports the communication infrastructure and success of these Ohio communities by dissolving the digital divide and enabling new economic development opportunities."

This is Zayo Bandwidth's third federal broadband stimulus grant this year, and the first as a Co-Direct sponsor.  Zayo Bandwidth was awarded $13.4 million in early July to build 286 miles of fiber network connecting 145 local institutions in Anoka County, Minnesota.  Zayo Bandwidth received $25 million in February to build 626 miles of fiber network connecting 21 college campuses and underserved areas in Indiana.  This federal stimulus funding is part of a $7.2 billion program to support broadband access and adoption throughout the United States.

About Zayo Bandwidth

Zayo Bandwidth, a wholly owned subsidiary of Zayo Group, owns and operates fiber optic networks totaling over 21,000 fiber route miles. Zayo Bandwidth (www.zayo-bandwidth.com) offers services in 144 markets spanning 28 states. Zayo Bandwidth's mission is to provide responsive bandwidth infrastructure solutions and a strong and growing network.

About Com Net

Com Net provides a world class wholesale provider of operation support solutions to Video, Internet and Phone (VIP) Service Providers. Com Net has customized solution for both next generation providers of IPTV, VoIP and Broadband Services, as well as legacy providers of Cable TV, PSTN Voice and dial-up Internet Services.

About OARnet

The Ohio Academic Resources Network (OARnet) was established by the Ohio Board of Regents in 1987 to provide researchers with access to the computational resources of the Ohio Supercomputer Center. Today. OARnet provides Ohio's colleges and universities and their research partners with an integrated technology infrastructure that includes unrivaled intrastate network connectivity and shared services. www.oar.net.

SOURCE Zayo Bandwidth