Regional Roundup: 123Net, Ritter, Wyyerd, Nokia

Two FTTH expansion projects, one new IX, and some new regional optical manufacturing capacity:

123Net now has a second IX in Michigan. On Tuesday they launched GR-iX in Grand Rapids, offering local exchange of traffic in the western part of the state. The IX will be in their DC4 facility in Byron Center, which not coincidentally will also be on one end of the sub-lake cable they have planned under Lake Michigan to Chicago. They plan for GR-iX to follow the same non-profit, fee-free path that DET-iX has.

Ritter Communications is making a move in Marion, Arkansas. The regional service provider is investing $3.5M to bring fiber into select neighborhoods in the city. Marion lies across the Mississippi from Memphis TN, and just north of West Memphis. That’s about an hour’s drive from Ritter’s home base in Jonesboro.

Wyyerd has begun construction in Goodyear, Arizona, which lies along I-10 to the west of Phoenix. The regional FTTP provider has been busy across a range of municipalities around Phoenix, and their expansion in Goodyear is part of a broader coverage move in the West Valley. Last week the company kicked off construction in the neighboring town of Buckeye as well.

And Nokia is preparing to serve BEAD projects with an expansion of its capabilities in the US. As BEAD funding mandates that certain technology be built in the US, Nokia has partnered with Sanmina Corporation to manufacture a selection of network electronics gear in Sanmina’s facility in Kenosha County, Wisconsin. Nokia expects the arrangement to produce some 200 jobs in Wisconsin, with manufacturing to start up in 2024.

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Categories: FTTH · Interconnection · Telecom Equipment