Ohio to get 100 Gbps broadband infrastructure

The state of Ohio is working with two network giants to design and install a 100 Gbps broadband network infrastructure for their state network linking universities and schools.  The Ohio Board of Regents will be working with Cisco Systems and Juniper Networks to develop the hardware to bring the current 10 Gbps network up to 100 Gbps.

Ohio currently has a 20-year leased fiber base with around 13 years remaining.  This is good news, as they will not have to pull new fiber.

The network being designed will use the existing leased fiber and replace the existing end equipment with equipment capable of handling the 100 Gbps speeds.  What better network equipment manufacturers than Cisco and Juniper could the Board of Regents have chosen?

The first phase of the project will cost Ohio $8.1 million and will interconnect Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo.  This part of the project is expected to be completed sometime in June.

Phase two of the project is expected to be completed in October of this year.  Three locations will be added to the phase one network: Akron, Athens and Youngstown.

Governor John Kasich commented on the project: “It means that healthcare and research that these researchers no longer have to rely on overnight mail to share their massive files on hard drives, but can email them instantly. This allows our research hospitals and universities to compete more successfully for the research grants that create breakthroughs in jobs.”