Five Colleges, Incorporated: Dark Fiber Ring

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The Five College Fiber Optic Network

In 2007 Five Colleges, Inc. completed a broadband network stretching from Springfield up and around the five campuses. The 53-mile-long network furnishes virtually unlimited bandwidth for educational and research purposes to the member institutions of Five Colleges, which oversaw its construction. Characterized as "the single largest investment in the history of the consortium," the network is also expected to benefit the seven area towns that fall within its footprint.

The decision to build the network came in the wake of rising costs for leasing fiber coupled with increasing demand. After weighing various options, several years ago the Five College Board of Directors decided that it would be more cost-effective to build, and own, their own network. In addition to its sheer size, the network furnishes much-needed infrastructure that is lacking in rural areas of this region.

By including capacity far in excess of the needs of its members, Five Colleges can now allow towns along the network to tap into the extra "dark fiber" at no cost beyond their own expenses of accessing the network.

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