Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks New Era for Broadband in Navajo County
NAVAJO COUNTY, AZ (April 23, 2024) – A significant step toward enhanced connectivity was celebrated as the Navajo County Board of Supervisors and eX² Technology, alongside Governor Hobbs and other dignitaries, broke ground on an expansive broadband project. This initiative involves constructing over 100 miles of open-access, dark fiber middle-mile infrastructure aimed at boosting broadband services across Navajo County, Arizona.
The new network promises to bolster broadband capabilities that will support municipal fiber needs, telehealth, educational services, and Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) for residential and business users. This infrastructure is designed to integrate with current fiber networks and will eventually link to Phoenix, neighboring counties, tribal networks, and the I-40 corridor reaching Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“Recognizing a need for reliable, affordable internet and improved broadband offerings, the County commissioned a Broadband Strategic Plan in early 2021, and we’re now excited to be working with eX² Technology to construct a middle-mile fiber optic broadband system,” stated Jason E. Whiting, Chairman of the Navajo County Board. “This network will ensure the continuity of County operations and serve to provide reliable connectivity to residents and businesses for years to come. It can also help bring new businesses to the region by meeting the connectivity needs required to operate efficiently in today’s global economy.”
eX² Technology is responsible for designing, operating, and maintaining the middle-mile network under a 20-year contract. They will also act as the County’s exclusive commercialization partner, offering conduit, dark fiber, wireless, and other assets neutrally to expand services throughout the area.
“This open-access, middle-mile backbone will serve as an economic growth engine for Navajo County, enabling access to high-speed internet for the region’s underserved communities,” said Jay Jorgensen, COO at eX² Technology. “Moreover, the infrastructure will aid in closing the area’s digital gap by allowing residents to easily tap into telehealth, online learning, remote working, public safety communications, and an array of other local government services. We’re thrilled to partner with Navajo County to deliver this next-generation broadband infrastructure.”
The project is supported by a $9.7 million Rural Arizona Broadband Development Grant from the Arizona Commerce Authority, supplemented by $10 million from ARPA funds allocated by the Navajo County Board of Supervisors, culminating in a $19.7 million investment in broadband infrastructure.
“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is closely connected to economic opportunity, especially in rural communities,” said Sandra Watson, President and CEO of the Arizona Commerce Authority. “We are proud to support this exciting milestone towards connecting more Arizonans in Navajo County, and are grateful to Governor Hobbs for her leadership and all our partners.”
The groundbreaking event took place at the Navajo County Fairgrounds in Holbrook, with the dark fiber network expected to be operational by 2025. Navajo County, situated in Northern Arizona, encompasses about 108,000 residents and includes parts of the Navajo Nation, the Hopi Indian Reservation, and the White Mountain Apache Indian Reservation.
For more information, contact Grant Evans at Navajo County, [email protected]
For media inquiries, contact Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA) at [email protected]
About Navajo County Government
Navajo County Government, with over 600 employees across various public service sectors, is governed by five Supervisors across five districts. The county, rich in cultural, geographical, and historical diversity, serves 48 communities over 9,960 square miles, committed to enhancing quality of life through excellent service and leadership.
About eX² Technology
eX² Technology, a Vivacity company, offers comprehensive solutions for building and scaling communications infrastructure. Specializing in network design-build-maintain services, asset commercialization, and project financing, eX² delivers efficient, cost-effective services for smart city, transportation, critical infrastructure, and private network projects.
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