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Press
Release
January 5, 2004 - Columbus Telephone Company of Kansas and Wave7 Optics to Roll
Out New Optical Broadband Network for “Triple Play” Services
Wave7’s Last Mile LinkŪ System to Provide IP Telephone,
80-Channel Cable TV and the Highest-Speed Internet Services Available to 3400
Residential, Business and Municipal Customers
Columbus, KS / Atlanta, GA – January 5, 2004 – Columbus Telephone Company
(Kansas), a customer-owned and operated utility in the southeast corner of the
state, today announced that construction of a new “fiber-to-the-premises” (FTTP)
network reaching all of the company’s almost 3400 subscribers will begin this
month. This new optical network, with an expected completion date in 4Q 2004,
will feature much more capacity and higher data transmission speeds than other
broadband systems, such as cable modem and DSL (digital subscriber line).
“We call this project our ‘broadband voyage of discovery,’” said Jim Dahmen,
General Manager of Columbus Telephone Co. “This new network represents our
commitment to offer our existing customers the ultimate in services and to
encourage businesses and people to move here – removed from urban problems, yet
connected like no one else. We want to utilize the Wave7 broadband technology to
create an environment conducive to having decision makers ask the question: ‘Why
not take a look at Columbus, Kansas as a place to do business?’ With a network
featuring buried fiber optic plant to schools, businesses, and homes and voice
over Internet protocol switching [vendor selection in process], we are
positioned to keep pace with all the innovations in the telecommunications arena
for the foreseeable future.”
The Wave7 Optics’ Last Mile Link solution provides up to 300 times more capacity
than competing broadband systems, such as DSL or cable modem, at the same or
lower installation cost. Because of the inherent high-bandwidth capabilities of
fiber optics and Wave7’s unique architectural cost advantages, Columbus
Telephone Co. can provide each of their customers access speeds from 256 kbps up
to a maximum of 500 Mbps “symmetrical” service, unlike typical “asymmetrical”
services where download speeds far exceed “upload” speeds.
Furthermore, the LML uses standard data, telephone and CATV interfaces at its
customer premise devices accommodating existing home and business telephone,
television and computer systems, meaning customers do not have to buy new
equipment to get on the new network.
“’Help America Discover Columbus’ is the community slogan – and we look forward
to working with Columbus Telephone and their construction partners to make it a
reality,” said Tom Tighe, CEO of Wave7 Optics. “With hundreds of communities
across the U.S. 'going optical,’ FTTP is gaining momentum across the U.S. and it
will have a dramatic impact on broadband policy and services.”
Monte R. Lee and Company of Oklahoma City managed the Request for Proposals (RFPs)
for this project and are now project managing the construction phase. Utility
Contracting Co. of Jefferson City, Mo. is the selected contractor for this FTTP
project.
About CTC
Columbus Telephone Company was created in 1905 by Columbus citizens. As a
cooperative, the members are dedicated to providing the optimum in service and
in the last 15 years the company has migrated from a cross-bar switch to
digital, installed fiber optic toll service to all major IXCs, installed high
speed Internet, and now fiber to the premise, cable TV service and VOIP
services.
Columbus Telephone Company has been at the vanguard of helping the community
create a new economy by attracting new industrial employers, commercial
businesses, and new residential developments. The General Manager and several of
the company’s board of directors have served on what is affectionately called
the FAT Wednesday Bunch, a group of business people focused on how the community
can better help itself improve the economy of the area. For the past 15 years,
they have been meeting the first and third Wednesday of every month, at 7:01
a.m., for 59 minutes, to discuss their community’s future.
About Wave7 Optics
Wave7 Optics, Inc. is a market leader in the fiber-to-the-home and -business (FTTX)
optical access market. The company's Last Mile LinkŪ optical access system
effectively overcomes the cost and implementation barriers that have to date
stymied the deployment of FTTX systems.
Wave7 Optics has pioneered the first intelligent PON (passive optical network)
system, which is effectively a generation ahead of comparable PON technologies
in both cost and capability. For instance, the “OLT” (optical line terminal)
equivalent can be deployed either in the field or central office and the Last
Mile Link uses lower cost IP- (Internet Protocol) and Ethernet-standards based
components to provide a "triple play" of voice, video and very high-speed data
services to residential, business and multi-tenant or multi-dwelling building
customers. The Last Mile Link offers service providers a particular advantage
with regards to video in that it is the only platform that supports upstream RF
return signals and readily accommodates HDTV.
The company has been named a "Hot Start Up" company for 2003 by two of the
world's leading trade journals -- America's Network and Telecommunications.
For more information please contact emmanuel.vella@w7optics.com.
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