Ciena Corporation has announced that it has partnered with Telamon Corporation, a value-added distributor, system integrator and reseller of telecommunication products, to bring high-speed broadband access and 4G wireless services to the Navajo Nation. Initiated by the Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) and funded by a federal stimulus grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), the new next-generation network will include 550 miles of new aerial fiber-optic cable and 59 new or modified microwave towers to connect the Navajo Nation across a 27,000 square mile service area.
"This project will certainly close the wireless technological gap that currently exists here in the southwest. This improvement opens many doors that will bring progress to our region," said Walter Haase, NTUA General Manager. "This is progress for the Navajo Nation, our people, our children, and our businesses in terms of economic development. This is a significant progressive step forward."
Last-mile wireless services will be offered at speeds between 1 and 3Mbps through the project's wireless partner Commnet Wireless, LLC. The new network will enable public safety, health, social services and emergency care facilities, as well as local government and administration offices to deliver distance learning, telemedicine, security monitoring, SCADA services, and other advanced applications not possible with the current infrastructure.
