Slic Network Solutions bringing broadband services to rural communities in northern New York

Ever since the federal stimulus funding started to be available to bring broadband services to sections of the United States that never had such services before, many companies, both large and small have started expanding into rural broadband projects.

Slic Network Solutions received a federal stimulus grant of $20.9 million along with a loan of $6.9 million to bring broadband services to St. Lawrence County in upstate New York.  Many of the rural areas have no broadband access at the present.

They will install fiber optic cable totaling 660 miles throughout St. Lawrence County.  This will bring ultra-high-speed broadband services to close to 6,000 homes, over 100 businesses and 30 anchor institutions such as fire, police, hospitals and libraries.

Slic President, Phil Wagschal, said “The advanced broadband services that these projects will bring to our region are critical to closing the digital divide that exists between those in population centers and those in rural areas.  Our Stimulus initiatives will enable us to bring a world-class broadband infrastructure to rural parts of northern New York that historically had no access to high-speed data services.”

A smaller project is also being planned to bring broadband services to Franklin County which will bring ultra-high-speed broadband services to 700 homes and 39 businesses and institutions.  That project is expected to cost $5.2 million.

Slic Network Solutions will be using Calix B6 ESAN Ethernet service access nodes and 700GE optical network terminals.