Three Public Libraries Go Live on Vermont FiberConnect High-Speed Network

From the Vermont Dept. of Libraries Newsletter:

Congratulations to Putney Public Library, Dorset Village Library, and Baxter Memorial Library in Sharon; these are the first three libraries in the Vermont FiberConnect project to be connected to the high-speed, high-capacity fiber optic network, with internet service provided via a new shared Wide Area Network (WAN) funded by the Department of Libraries and managed by the VT Department of Information and Innovation. The fiber optic network which brings the fiber connections to the libraries is being built by Sovernet, via a federal BTOP (Broadband Technology Opportunities Program) grant. The WAN provides 100mbps of shared bandwidth for Internet access for the local library networks, as well as wireless access in these libraries.
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Kevin Nadzam, the State network engineer who has set up network equipment and WAN connections at each library, reports that the average usage for Putney during its first week was only .0035 out of the possible 100 mbps, so there will be plenty of bandwidth available as the 39 other FiberConnect libraries are connected to the WAN between now and the end of the year.
VT FiberConnect is a public-private partnership between the Vermont Telecommunications Authority and Sovernet Communications, funded by a $33.4 million federal Broadband grant. The Department of Libraries is a partner in this project which will reach over 200 “community anchor institutions,” including 43 public libraries and the Midstate Library Service Center in Berlin (which also had its fiber connection turned on this month).
The Department of Libraries secured an Opportunity Online Broadband Technology grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to help support this project in Vermont libraries.

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