The project – funded with $16 million from the US Department of Commerce’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) and $4 million from the Virginia Tobacco Commission – finished $1 million under budget.
The completed project is designed to connect every school in southern Virginia to an advanced fibre-optic network, for the delivery of robust, scalable bandwidth, as well as up to 10G connectivity.
Tad Deriso, president and CEO at MBC, said: “We take our fiduciary responsibility very seriously. [The MBC team’s] efforts will make a positive difference in the lives of more than 58,000 students every year with this advanced network infrastructure.”
It is also hoped the project will ensure that schools included have competitive options when it comes to choosing retail service providers.
Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) said: “This critical network infrastructure is a long-term asset that not only enables the private sector to expand their broadband services, but also assists our students in competing in the global networked economy.”
Earlier this year, MBC announced a network expansion in the mid-Atlantic region of the US.
