Company lands massive Californian telecom deal

A company formed by two Welshpool area businessmen is set to deliver the USA’s largest privately funded open access Fibre City, in California.

International fibre optic network developer SiFi Networks (SiFi), whose aim is to revolutionise the North American telecoms market, was formed by Mike Harris previously of Total Network Solutions and now chairman of The New Saints FC along with Roland Pickstock of The Pickstock Group.

Fullerton is set to become the biggest network of its kind in America and will be funded by the Smart City Infrastructure Fund, a global investment fund managed by Whitehelm Capital and backed by APG, the largest pension delivery organisation in the Netherlands.

SiFi aims to deliver more networks throughout the USA in the same manner. Fullerton will be the first FibreCity with several cities already in line to be next.

“We are excited to deliver our first FibreCity in the USA, an investment that sets the standard for firer optic infrastructure as a core utility,” Ben Bawtree-Jobson, CEO of SiFi Networks.

“We believe that our business model can transform the telecoms market in the USA. Privately funded, open access networks will not only benefit residents and businesses, but also provide citywide platforms for Smart City applications including 5G and more.

The network will provide a significant upgrade to internet speeds and accommodate the growing demand for data from next generation devices in households and businesses.

It will also facilitate new Smart City initiatives in key government services such as traffic control, street lighting and emergency services. The network will also provide a platform for the future expansion of 4G and 5G cellular networks into the area.

“We are delighted to welcome SiFi Networks and its ISP partners Ting and GigabitNow to the city,” stated Fullerton City Manager, Ken Domer. 

“Having a true fibre optic network passing every part of the city is an amazing opportunity for Smart City applications, bringing competition to the city’s communication needs, and creating enhanced opportunities for economic development.”

SiFi Networks is an international fibre optic network developer, funding, building and operating state of the art community wide networks enabling internet service providers to deliver dozens of next generation applications including superfast internet, video and phone creating SiFi Networks’ FibreCities throughout the USA.