OREANDA-NEWS. ADTRAN®, Inc., (NASDAQ:ADTN), a leading provider of next-generation open networking solutions, today announced Anza Electric Cooperative has joined the Enabling Communities, Connecting Lives program – making Anza, California, the latest of more than 300 communities nationwide deploying services based on ADTRAN Gigabit service architecture. The utility saw an opportunity to address unmet market demand for broadband connectivity, and has exceeded residents’ expectations by delivering a higher speed, more dynamic broadband service through ConnectAnza. Their decision to leverage ADTRAN’s Gigabit service architecture was met with resounding community support as 93% of the co-op members approved the proposal – the highest voter turnout ever achieved.

“ConnectAnza is definitely filling a void in the market. With only one CLEC delivering basic broadband and no cable providers offering any alternatives, we took it upon ourselves to give our customers the latest ultra-fast, Gigabit broadband connectivity,” said Kevin Short, general manager, Anza Electric Cooperative, Inc. “The response by both residential and business customers has been amazing. It’s not at all unusual for our service van drivers to get stopped in the street by people asking when they can be signed up for Gigabit broadband. We really see this technology having a transformational effect on our community.”

For the communities in the nearly 700 square miles of high desert between San Diego and Palm Springs, career and higher education opportunities have been somewhat limited. Anza Electric’s Gigabit ConnectAnza service launch is enabling the creation of job training and virtual education programs. Demand for free computer training classes has significantly increased as residents realize the potential remote job benefits with this skill set. The utility is also spearheading a professional telecom training program at a satellite campus with one of the regional community colleges. The success of these programs has captured the attention of the Riverside County IT department – the 4th largest in the country – looking to duplicate Anza Electric’s efforts.

Like in Anza, ADTRAN’s Gigabit service architecture is creating opportunities for utilities, municipalities and other types of public entities to meet demand for broadband in areas not traditionally served by other network operators. These local companies are an intrinsic part of their communities and able to leverage their assets to deliver Gigabit services directly, or provide dark fiber while partnering with 3rd party service providers to deliver the broadband service.

“Gigabit service delivery is so much more than a new revenue stream for rural service providers across the country. It is a chance for operators, utilities and municipalities to enrich the lives of their residents and create economic opportunities that have not existed before,” said Mitch Fleming, vice president, service provider sales, ADTRAN. “Anza Electric’s approach in building out continuing education programs is an excellent example of the creativity and ingenuity by these providers to make a difference. The incredible support of their members is reflective of the commitment Anza Electric has to their community.”

About ADTRAN
ADTRAN, Inc. is a leading global provider of networking and communications equipment. ADTRAN’s products enable voice, data, video and Internet communications across a variety of network infrastructures. ADTRAN solutions are currently in use by service providers, private enterprises, government organizations, and millions of individual users worldwide.