Well, it's official. Here at VETRO Headquarters in Portland Maine, the cicadas have started buzzing throughout the day and the first hints of fall are starting to show. With the advent of the colder months and kids getting back to their online learning, we're all about to start relying on our internet even more.
The good news is that funding initiatives, resource allocation programs and more media coverage of our need for better broadband are helping get us all up to speed (the VETRO team loves a good pun) in conquering the digital divide.
Let's see what's going on this week in the world of fiber!
First up, some news from the home front! VETRO is growing at a breakneck pace right now as we welcome telecom customers from around the globe to our fiber optic management platform. This week, we officially welcome Michaela Goodwin, our new CFO to the team! Michaela's strategic, financial and operational impact has been a game changer in just the few short months she's been on the team.
This week we also put the spotlight on Netly, one of our new fiber provider customers. Netly offers an innovative open access network model to businesses throughout Southern California. We're excited to see Netly grow and expand!
Fun Fact! Did you know that a single strand of fiber can carry up to 44 terabytes per second (Tbps) of data? That kind of speed probably feels like a fantasy when you're trying to figure out why your zoom meeting froze in the middle of a presentation, but we're out here making progress. Check out this article by Ben Bawtree-Jobson, the CEO of fiber operator SiFi Networks. Mr. Bawtree-Jobson explores how physical fiber connections can bridge the connectivity gap while 5G evolves past its infancy stage and the various challenges that come with the new technology.
Next up, let's do a roundup of a few of the broadband expansion initiatives going on throughout the US. Over in Indiana, national top 100 broadband provider Smithville has started lighting up homes with their fiber internet service. Wyoming has also hit the ground running with the funding of 37 fiber projects across the state. New Hampshire has allocated $16m in CARES funding to broadband expansion, while South Carolina is busy reviewing funding applications. We're excited to see so much movement across the country toward better, faster, affordable internet!
Finally, let's wrap this week with a piece from the New York Times that takes an on-the-ground look at the effects of slow internet on families trying to work, educate and do pretty much everything online. A great article to hand off to your extended family members at the next Sunday dinner when they ask how work is going.