AFS Infrastructure Project Among Top 10 for BTOP Consideration
NEF Partner American Fiber Systems announced this today:
Optical fiber provider American Fiber Systems (AFS) announced its proposed community broadband project was among the top 10 recommended by the Governors of the State of Kansas and the State of Missouri as a priority project for Round 2 Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) consideration.
The only proposal chosen by both states, AFS's proposed infrastructure spans across both states in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
The $10 million proposed project is classified as "comprehensive community infrastructure" and would establish a broadband network in Platte, Leavenworth, Wyandotte, Johnson, Clay and Jackson counties in both Missouri and Kansas. AFS's community project provides for fiber connectivity to key government locations, public safety facilities, medical campuses, educational (K through 12) locations and libraries in Kansas and Missouri. Additionally, the proposal includes connectivity to Missouri state colleges.
Both states chose their top projects to recommend based on varied criteria, including relevance and effect on telemedicine, distance learning, economic development, e-government and the needs of underserved residents of Kansas and Missouri. Additionally, special emphasis was attached to projects slated for counties in greater need of assistance.
"With 15,264 fiber miles and firsthand knowledge of the Kansas City metropolitan market, AFS is well-positioned to plan and execute this ambitious project," said Rich Coyle, Senior Vice President, Operations, AFS. "This project is so much more than acquiring funding to expand our network. It is about bringing broadband to areas where it hasn't yet been available and enhancing the lives of community members by giving them a more reliable connection to the rest of the world."