OREANDA-NEWS. Fujitsu, a leading provider of business, information technology, and communications solutions, announced today that Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. was selected by Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) to implement a new Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) project. The new broadband network will cover 2,951 square miles in northern New Mexico's rural, underserved counties of Taos, Colfax, and Rio Arriba.

The infrastructure project will help drive economic development by providing opportunities for high-bandwidth broadband connectivity to businesses, households, community institutions and two Native American Pueblos. It will also lay the groundwork for KCEC's planned Smart Grid, which will feature an advanced metering infrastructure and real-time detection of power outages to promote energy efficiency and offer customers higher levels of service.

With USD 64M in funding from the U.S. Rural Utilities Service, KCEC sourced communications networking technologies from multiple vendors, including a fiber build-out. In order to reduce the overall project risk, KCEC sought after a broadband builder with an excellent track record in broadband design and implementation and chose Fujitsu to guide and assist its team.

As the working relationship began, Fujitsu identified more advanced, modular technology solutions that had become available since the co-op made its original technology selections. For example, Fujitsu demonstrated the best design to future-proof the co-op's investment in the network and to enable delivery of additional services utilized the combination of two advanced technologies, Ethernet and Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPON). An Ethernet-based core infrastructure connects the electrical power substations and GPON is used in the access networks to deliver 100 Mbps in broadband connectivity to residents and 1 Gbps to schools, hospitals and government agencies. At KCEC's request then, Fujitsu designed and engineered a new infrastructure and took on the role of network systems integrator as well as responsibility for overall program management.

Nowhere is the need greater for high-speed broadband connectivity than in rural America. "Our relationship with KCEC is very rewarding because we're bridging the digital divide to enhance the quality of life for tens-of-thousands of people in northern New Mexico," said Greg Manganello, Senior Vice President and Head of Services, Fujitsu Network Communications, Inc. "Now the rural community served by KCEC will have better access to higher education, employment opportunities, job training, and social networking. And, in the future, this same broadband connectivity will support the utilities' Smart Grid, improving 'customer centricity' and service reliability."

At completion, the KCEC network will allow greater bandwidth and capacity for applications such as telemedicine, teleconferencing and video sharing among 29 communities, 3,600 businesses, 29,000 homes and 183 community institutions, including two Native American Pueblos.