Flush with cash after a recent agreement with Dutch fund manager APG (see “APG creates joint venture with SiFi Networks to further 10G FTTP builds”), SiFi Networks says it plans to launch open access networks in 30 U.S. “FiberCities” by the end of 2022. The company will spend $2 billion in private investment money on the efforts, according to Ben Bawtree-Jobson, the company’s CEO.
SiFi Networks partners with local authorities to create open access FiberCities fiber to the premises (FTTP) infrastructure. The company is currently active in East Hartford, CT; Salem, MA; Saratoga Springs, NY; and Placentia, Simi Valley, and Fullerton, CA. SiFi Networks states that it’s “working actively” with nearly 100 communities.
Service providers GigabitNow and Flume Internet are companies revealed to be providing services over SiFi Networks’ FTTP infrastructure. The FTTP infrastructure provider says it has created a partner program that will enable ISPs to receive RFPs, have their operations vetted, and potentially have access to potential customer connected to SiFi Networks’ FTTP infrastructure.
“SiFi Networks is on a huge growth path,” said Bawtree-Jobson. “With a vast amount of capital raised to fuel our growth plans—we’ll be expanding our deployment of fiber next month and expect to be passing 40,000 homes per month by 2023. In our FiberCities, we make open access fiber available to every home, business, and anchor institution in the communities we serve.”
SiFi adds that it’s open to adding smart city applications to its FiberCities infrastructures. Such applications can cover benefits such as public WiFi, traffic management, public safety enhancements, more efficient street lighting, and improved access to government services. “We’re able to partner with communities to build FiberCities on an open access network, using private capital, at no cost to taxpayers. It’s a win for consumers, it’s a win for business, and it’s a win for government,” Bawtree-Jobson added.
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