Zayo receives nearly $93M in federal infrastructure grants

BOULDER — Zayo Group Holdings Inc., a global communications infrastructure provider based in Boulder, has been awarded $92.9 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Middle Mile Grant Program as a part of the overall national effort to bring reliable network infrastructure to all areas of the country.

Zayo was the only national provider receiving an award in the latest round of grants from NTIA; the money will be directed toward three projects from Zayo to bring network infrastructure to communities in need across eight states and over 2,100 route miles. Locations were selected on a needs-based criterion including current broadband speeds, rurality, and socio-economic indicators to identify opportunities where network investments could make the largest impact to the communities served. 

“Zayo is deeply committed to providing connectivity to unserved and underserved communities,” Bill Long, chief product officer at Zayo, said in a press statement. “We’re honored to be entrusted with these federal dollars and to partner with NTIA, state, and local communities to establish the critical middle-mile infrastructure needed to improve digital equity in these communities.”

Zayo plans to construct a high-capacity, middle-mile fiber route of more than 420 route miles that will traverse rural communities in Oregon, California and Nevada. These areas include high rates of unserved and underserved households, businesses, schools, and other community institutions in need of broadband. 

Zayo will construct a fiber route spanning 644 route miles to serve some of the most rural areas in Western Texas, stretching from El Paso to Dallas. There is no other similar fiber network that can serve that rural area.Zayo also plans to deploy additional network connectivity exit ramps to communities and institutions along its five-state route between Dallas and Atlanta, spanning 822 route miles.
Zayo is the largest independent provider of K-12 E-rate services in the nation, connecting almost 20,000 schools in the U.S.

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