Fujitsu Network Communications was selected by Kit Carson Electric Cooperative (KCEC) to implement a new Fiber-To-The-Home (FTTH) project in northern New Mexico’s rural, underserved counties of Taos, Colfax, and Rio Arriba.
KCEC has access to $64 million in funding from the U.S. Rural Utilities Service to help drive economic development by providing opportunities for high-bandwidth broadband connectivity to businesses, households, community institutions and two Native American Pueblos. The network will also lay the groundwork for KCEC’s planned Smart Grid, which will feature an advanced metering infrastructure and real-time detection of power outages to promote energy efficiency and offer customers higher levels of service.
Fujitsu said its design will future-proof the co-op’s investment in the network and enable delivery of additional services by using a combination of Ethernet and Gigabit Passive Optical Networks (GPON). An Ethernet-based core infrastructure connects the electrical power substations and GPON is used in the access networks to deliver 100 Mbps in broadband connectivity to residents and 1 Gbps to schools, hospitals and government agencies. At KCEC’s request then, Fujitsu designed and engineered a new infrastructure and took on the role of network systems integrator as well as responsibility for overall program management.
“Fujitsu’s understanding of the best-of-breed technologies and the implementation strategy made them an invaluable partner,” said Luis Reyes, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of Kit Carson Electric Cooperative. “Their vendor-agnostic approach, ability to integrate networking technology solutions from multiple manufacturers, and proven program management methodology are vital to our project’s success. Together, KCEC and Fujitsu are building a broadband infrastructure that will provide the foundation necessary to drive economic growth, create stronger communities, improve educational opportunities, and give citizens better access to healthcare.”
