Axia seeks U.S. expansion of open access FTTP networks

Axia (TSX: AXX), which has constructed open access fiber to the premises (FTTP) networks in the Canadian province of Alberta as well as in France and Singapore, says it has begun looking for U.S. communities interested in similar fiber-optic networks.

The company is interested in working with communities with 20,000 to 100,000 premises. Such communities also must have at least 40% of those premises register interest in fiber-optic broadband via the company's website. With these two requirements fulfilled, Axia says it would then conduct a cost assessment and work with the community leadership on smoothing deployment before reaching a final decision.

Axia says that, if all requirement boxes are checked, it will begin "blanketing the entire city or collection of towns in a region with home run fiber" at its own expense. Residents and business will receive access to symmetrical internet at rates from 100 Mbps or 1 Gbps and unlimited data usage. Axia says that subscribers can buy network services directly or via what the company described as "value added providers." The company asserts that the presence of its network in Singapore helped increase the number of internet service providers from 4 to 22.

"We are excited to work with progressive city leadership across the United States to bring differentiation and transformational economic benefits to their markets," commented Robert Price, vice president of Enterprise and Residential Services for North America. "There has been incremental progress in the large American cities by established telcos and cablecos, but smaller cities and more remote regions have outdated infrastructure for what is needed in a modern digital economy."

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