DZS (NASDAQ: DZSI), a global leader in broadband connectivity
platforms and communications software solutions, today announced
the continued successful expansion of a major rural broadband
transformation project being deployed by electric cooperative
4-County Electric Power Association (4-County) in East Central
Mississippi in conjunction with DZS strategic partner Irby
Utilities (Irby), a subsidiary of Sonepar USA who provides full
scope fiber network solutions through its Technology and
Communications business group. Now in its second year of buildout,
4-County has moved beyond its successful pilot of DZS technology
and Irby Utilities broadband network planning and deployment
expertise to the aggressive expansion of its FASTnet Fiber program
to its membership across nine counties. This program will be
transformational to the region when it comes to fruition over the
next few years, as 4-County lays over 3,700 miles of fiber to bring
world-class gigabit+ services capabilities to over 40,000 homes and
businesses.
Made possible by over $35 million in Rural Digital Opportunity
Funds (RDOF) and millions more in CARES funding and committed
investment by 4-County, the FASTnet Fiber program will also enable
the cooperative to connect its critical electric infrastructure to
a smart grid communications network.
“This groundbreaking FASTnet Fiber project is more than just
bridging the digital divide – It is obliterating it by bringing
multi-gigabit capable hyper-broadband services via GPON and XGS-PON
access technologies to areas with extremely limited broadband
access,” said Brian Clark, CEO and general manager, 4-County
Electrical Power Association. “As this network comes to fruition,
it will catapult 4-County’s membership straight to the forefront of
the digital age and provide transformational opportunity to our
region. The rapid and successful pilot build out and our whole
FASTnet Fiber project would not have been possible without Irby’s
expertise. We are thrilled with the progress that we’ve made
already and believe in the transformational power that unleashing
hyper-fast broadband will have in our member communities in East
Central Mississippi.”
With approximately 40,000 members and 50,000 meters along 5,500
miles of power lines, 4-County is already one of Mississippi’s
largest electrical cooperatives, serving a variety of residential,
commercial and government customers, including a U.S. Air Force
base, a large truck engine plant, a drone manufacturing facility
and a steel mill that is the largest TVA power consumer in the
Southeast. All of these members are potential beneficiaries of the
new FASTnet Fiber broadband network, enabling symmetrical speed
residential packages of 200/500/1000 Mbps today and having the
potential to deliver 10 Gbps services on demand tomorrow – all over
the same fiber infrastructure and DZS Velocity and Helix systems.
Irby Utilities is now helping 4-County plan for and rapidly
deploying a range of DZS technologies that include:
- DZS Velocity Broadband Access
solutions: The DZS Velocity V14 multi-terabit FTTx OLTs
with GPON, XGS-PON, and Combo line cards form the foundation of
FASTnet’s multi-gigabit capable services deployment. DZS V14 OLTs
offer an ultra-high capacity, fiber-optimized aggregation platform
suitable for deployment in even the most demanding physical
environments.
- DZS Helix Edge Access
solutions: DZS zNID ONTs provide wired connectivity in the
home, while DZS Mesh-2100 dual band AC2100 wave 2 Wi-Fi repeaters
are enabling a carrier-class Wi-Fi network for home and small
office use.
“4-County and Irby Utilities have done an incredible job
bringing cutting-edge technology and services to one of the most
underserved markets in the U.S. in a very short period of time, and
DZS is proud to be a critical partner in the efforts of electric
cooperatives to rapidly transform these markets into
hyper-connected showcases,” said Jay Hilbert, chief revenue
officer, DZS. “This project is already making a huge difference in
the quality of life for the families and communities of East
Mississippi and has laid a strong foundation for ongoing economic
development in the area. We believe 4-County is a powerful example
to other electric cooperatives of how they too can find success in
deploying gigabit+ broadband to their members by leveraging
available government stimulus funds and grants as well as
unparalleled expertise of DZS and Irby Utilities.”
The partnership with DZS, Irby Utilities and 4-County is one of
many similar efforts taking place now with rural electric
co-operatives across the US. The RDOF program has already allocated
over $1 billion to electric co-operative projects, with DZS and
Irby Utilities involved with over $100 million in awarded and
approved funding. Billions more are still available. In Mississippi
alone, the state has allocated over $1 billion to electric
cooperative buildouts, leveraging funds from multiple federal,
state, and regional sources. The availability of diverse funding is
a testament to 4-County, Irby Utilities and DZS’ ability to work
together seamlessly to deliver life-changing broadband services to
some of the most underserved communities in the US on time and on
budget.
For more information on DZS solutions, visit www.DZSi.com.
About 4-County Electric Power
Association4-County Electric Power Association is a
member-owned electric power distributor, supplying power from the
Tennessee Valley Authority across all or parts of nine counties in
East Central Mississippi. Committed to improving the quality of
life for all those we touch, 4-County has spent more than 80 years
building and maintaining a strong and reliable electric system to
bring affordable power to our members. Running FASTnet Fiber
alongside our electric system now lets us offer the fastest, most
reliable internet speeds to our members at affordable prices.
FASTnet will also support “smart grid” technology to make sure our
system always operates at peak performance.
About Irby Utilities Irby was founded in 1926
and is based in Jackson, Mississippi. The company has evolved into
two distinct operations, of which Irby Utilities is an industry
leader with 57 locations supporting activity in 47 states. The
employees of Irby Utilities serve customers with innovative
products and services through its diverse portfolio in four major
business channels: electric, broadband, gas and capital project
services. To find out more, visit www.irbyutilities.com.
About Sonepar USA Sonepar USA is an
independent, family-owned company with global market leadership in
the B-to-B distribution of electrical, industrial and safety
products, services and solutions. We are a proud member of the
Sonepar Group, the world's largest privately held electrical
distributor. Sonepar entered the US in 1998 and has continued to
grow due to strategic acquisitions and organic growth. Today,
Sonepar USA is represented by 14 locally managed operating
companies with over 700 locations nationwide. For more information,
visit soneparusa.com.
About DZSDZS Inc. (NASDAQ: DZSI) is a
global leader in broadband connectivity platforms and
communications software solutions with more than 20 million
products in service with customers and alliance partners spanning
more than 100 countries.
DZS, the DZS logo, and all DZS product names are trademarks of
DZS Inc. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their
respective holders. Specifications, products, and/or product names
are all subject to change.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding
future events and our future results that are subject to the safe
harbors created under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act
of 1995. These statements reflect the beliefs and assumptions of
the Company’s management as of the date hereof. Words such as
“anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,”
“forecast,” “goal,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “seek,”
“should,” “target,” “will,” “would,” variations of such words, and
similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking
statements. Readers are cautioned that these forward-looking
statements are only predictions and are subject to risks,
uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. The
Company’s actual results could differ materially and adversely from
those expressed in or contemplated by the forward-looking
statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ
include, but are not limited to, those risk factors contained in
the Company’s SEC filings available at www.sec.gov, including
without limitation, the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K,
quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings. In addition,
additional or unforeseen affects from the COVID-19 pandemic and the
global economic climate may give rise to or amplify many of these
risks. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on
which they are made. DZS undertakes no obligation to update or
revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
For further information see: www.DZSi.com.DZS on
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dzs_innovationDZS on
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/DZSi/
Press Inquiries:McKenzie Hurst,
Thatcher+Co.Mobile: +1
408.888.6787Email: mhurst@thatcherandco.com
Irby Utilities Media Contact:Geff SmithPhone:
217-259-3157Email: gsmith@irby.com
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