Ciena Packet Gear Drives MassBroadband 123 Project

The Massachusetts Broadband Institute (MBI) is deploying Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, equipped with WaveLogic Coherent Optical Processors, to provide high-speed, high-capacity 40G connectivity (with the potential to reach 100G) across 120 communities in western and central Massachusetts as part of a planned state-wide optical network. Funded by a $45.4 million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and $26.2 million from statewide resources, the MassBroadband 123 network will provide connections to schools, hospitals, libraries and public-safety facilities that currently lack Internet services. Axia NGNetworks will manage and maintain the MBI’s Internet backbone network and will provide fiber extensions to the network to meet market demand.