FairPoint completes first phase of FTTN rollout

Given all of its financial and operational troubles, it's hard to imagine anything positive coming out of FairPoint Communications' New England territories. But this week the company hit a milestone on the network side as it wrapped up the first part of its Fiber to the Node (FTTN) build out in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont. FairPoint spent $85 million to install over 368 miles of optical cables and related network IP-based equipment throughout its New England territories.

Through its VantagePoint brand, FairPoint will target residential, business, government and wholesale markets with a host of new higher-speed services. On the business side, FairPoint plans to roll out three new Ethernet-based services (available in some areas by the end of the year): Ethernet Dedicated Internet Access (E-DIA), Ethernet Local Area Networking (E-LAN) and Ethernet Private Line (E-Line). The residential service plans, however, are less clear. Other than saying it would extend a faster broadband service to residents, FairPoint gave no details on whether these services will leverage ADSL2+, VDSL2 or a combination of both technologies.

However, FairPoint maintains they still have more work to do. "This is just the beginning. It still needs to be brought out to cities and towns... at remote terminals or a cross box," said FairPoint spokesman Jill Wurm in a statement.

For more:
- Nashua Telegraph has this article
[1]
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