Archtop Fiber enters broadband market with focus on U.S. Northeast
Archtop Fiber has announced itself as a new symmetrical multi-gigabit fiber broadband and phone service provider focused on “underserved or overlooked markets” in the U.S. Northeast. Headquartered in Kingston, NY, Archtop is backed by Post Road Group, a digital infrastructure and real estate investment platform, which plans to invest up to $350 million in the new company.
The broadband startup expects to pass more than 500,000 homes and businesses in New York’s Hudson Valley area with its first XGS-PON enabled fiber build. The time frame for this roll out was not revealed.
Archtop Fiber’s leadership team includes Jeff DeMond as chairman and CEO, Lenny Higgins as president and COO, Shawn Beqaj as chief development officer, and Diane Quennoz as chief customer officer. “I’m a serial entrepreneur with a history and passion for undertaking things others won’t and doing so with a deep compassion for communities often overlooked by the telecom establishment,” asserted DeMond, who founded and served as president and CEO of Vyve Broadband. “Archtop will be the long-awaited ‘shot in the arm’– not just as the best broadband internet service provider for homes and local businesses, but as a true community member and partner. We have always been an invested creator of jobs, a catalyst for economic growth and a corporate partner with a passion for ‘leaning in’ wherever needed.”
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director & Associate Publisher
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, DOCSIS technology, and more.