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Press ReleaseShawnee Telephone Company Selects Zhone for $8.5 Million RUS Funded Broadband Stimulus ProjectSouthern Illinois Sustainable Broadband Transformation Project to Bring High-Speed Telecommunication Services to One of the Nation’s Most Remote RegionsOakland, CA — September 2, 2010 —
Zhone Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZHNE), a global leader in network access
solutions for fiber, copper and wireless broadband infrastructures, today
announced that broadband stimulus award winner Shawnee Telephone Company has
selected its multi-service access node (MSANs) for support of the Southern
Illinois Sustainable Broadband Transformation project.
Shawnee was awarded $8.5 million in federal and state funds to connect 1,209
households; 438 businesses; and 35 public schools, libraries, law enforcement
offices and medical facilities in one of the nation's most remote and
underserved regions. Long distances and a geographically dispersed population
have posed ongoing challenges in bringing broadband access to the 90 Illinois
communities that comprise Shawnee, one of the largest and most remote
contiguous service areas in southern Illinois.
By using Zhone's MSAN platform, Shawnee can utilize a combination of
broadband technologies including Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) and
ADSL2+ to more cost effectively provide equal opportunity high-speed access to
even the most rural locations.
Slated to begin this month, the Southern Illinois Sustainable Broadband
Transformation project will provide direct employment for nearly 100 people in
an area with one of the nation's highest unemployment rates. Fiber
connectivity will enable local school and community college systems to provide
online learning and additional college preparatory classes in a move to
permanently bolster opportunity and economic advantages for the region.
Shawnee has also proposed free access to personal computers and training to
further bridge the opportunity divide for low income residents.
"Zhone's single-platform, multi-service approach to broadband access
provisioning provides both the flexibility and service scalability required
for the success and ongoing growth of this project," said Mike Grisham,
controller for Shawnee Telephone Company. "Zhone is consistently
responsive in helping us meet the unique challenges in rural service
provisioning, both in upfront equipment value and by significantly lower
ownership costs over the long term."
"This is one of many stimulus contracts for Zhone and validates that our
MSAN solutions and intelligent end terminals are designed for low-touch and
no-touch provisioning from central office locations which is a critical
advantage for serving rural areas," said Brian Caskey, chief marketing
officer for Zhone. "By providing access – starting at the desktop –
Shawnee has shown extreme foresight and commitment to ensuring real long-term
educational opportunities, growth and economic promise to the area."
The Southern Illinois Sustainable Broadband Transformation project was awarded
$7.35 million in grants and loans from the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Rural Utility and $1 million in matching funds from the
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. About Zhone Technologies
Zhone Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: ZHNE) is a global leader in all IP
multi-service access solutions, serving more than 750 of the world's
most innovative network operators.
The IP Zhone is the only solution that enables service providers to
build the network of the future…today, supporting end-to-end Voice,
Data, Entertainment Social Media, Business, Mobile Backhaul and Mobility
service.
Zhone is committed to building the fastest and highest quality All IP
Multi-Service solution for its customers.
Zhone is headquartered in California and its products are manufactured
in the USA in a facility that is emission, waste-water and CFC free. About Shawnee Telephone Company
Shawnee Telephone Company, headquartered in Equality, has provided high
quality telecommunications access to citizens in its service territory,
one of the most remote areas of the country, for more than 60 years.
Today, the company and its subsidiaries serve more than 90 southern
Illinois communities and have one of the largest contiguous service
areas in southern Illinois.
Contacts:
Zhone, the Zhone logo, and all Zhone product names are trademarks of Zhone Technologies, Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective holders. Specifications, products, and/or product names are all subject to change without notice. |
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