Telecom CNX tapped to provide broadband expertise to Kentucky's middle mile network

Connected Nation Exchange (CNX) won a Master Services contract to provide broadband expertise to the State of Kentucky and its Kentucky Wired middle mile network program.

Under the terms of the agreement with the state, CNX will work with local communities and interested public sector agencies throughout Kentucky to plan and implement strategies that will take advantage of the $350 million privately-led investment in the middle mile broadband network asset.

CNX's goal is to expand broadband opportunities by providing public/private expertise, technology, and complete planning, feasibility analysis, engineering and financial/brokerage services.

A wide group of agencies and entities such as Kentucky Information Highway and the Kentucky Education Network (KEN) will be able to access CNX expertise to comprehensively address broadband project planning and programming.

Kentucky Wired is another ambitious statewide middle mile initiative with the intent of increasing the availability of wireline broadband services.

Upon completion in 2017, KentuckyWired will consist of over 4,800 km (3,000 miles) of fiber cable with multiple redundant loops. The network will traverse all 120 Kentucky counties, and connect approximately 1,100 government and public facilities. It will also allow private sector service providers and other entities to access the network.

Signing CNX onto its team is another sign that KentuckyWired is moving forward. Earlier this year, the state appointed the Ledcor Group and a group of partners to construct and operate the KentuckyWired network.

Kentucky is hardly alone in its middle mile desires. A number of other states including Massachusetts, Maine and Maryland are building similar networks with the goal of bringing broadband into Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets that have been traditionally underserved by incumbent cable operators and telcos.

This article originally ran on bizjournals.com.