Weld County School District embraces dark fibre

BOULDER, USA: Zayo Group, LLC has completed a dark fiber build in Northern Colorado providing connectivity to the Weld County School District and additional fiber connectivity to the community in Greeley.

Through a ten-year contract with the district, Zayo will provide a managed 1G private dedicated Ethernet network connecting 30 schools and administration buildings. To establish the infrastructure necessary to provide connectivity, Zayo invested in 43 miles of new dark fiber, including six miles of long-haul dark fiber towards Kersey, CO to connect to Zayo's national network. As a result of the build, Zayo is able to provide a scalable, private Ethernet network, supporting protected data transfer throughout the district.

Zayo was selected to provide connectivity through the federal government's E-rate program, an initiative to provide schools and libraries with affordable internet access, it states in an announcement adding that Zayo's network solution enables the district to utilize more online videos in its curriculum, support distance learning, and administer standardized tests online.

"We selected Zayo because of its large network footprint and ability to provide an E-rate certified solution that can be scaled to the needs of our classrooms," said Joe Ronnenberg, technology director for Weld County School District 6. "Zayo was able to work around our school schedule and they completed the project in time for standardized testing."