Organization requests stimulus funds for middle-mile fiber and a data center | News | DatacenterDynamics - No.1 global data center events

OpenCape, a non-profit organization that is planning a large middle-mile broadband network project to connect many residential customers and public institutions in Massachusetts, has applied for a U.S. federal grant to fund the construction. The grant program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 – also referred to as the economic stimulus package. The Act set aside $7.2 billion in funding for development of broadband infrastructure in the U.S.

Along with laying about 350 miles of fiber-optic cable on Cape Cod, adjacent islands and southeastern Massachusetts, OpenCape – the non-profit – is planning to build a regional colocation data center for both private and government customers. The $40 million project also includes plans for a microwave backhaul network to provide network redundancy for emergency service communications. RCN Metro Optical Networks, a division of RCN Corporation, will build and operate the network if funding is secured...