Navajo County Board of Supervisors and eX² Technology recently joined with Arizona Governor Hobbs, community members, elected officials, and local, state, and national leaders to kick off the groundbreaking and construction build-out of an over 100-mile open-access, dark fiber middle-mile network infrastructure to expand broadband throughout Navajo County, Arizona.
Upon completion of the network, Navajo County will be able to sustain the broadband capacity to support municipal fiber, telehealth, education, and Fiber to the Premises (FTTP) for homes and businesses. This network will also interconnect with existing fiber networks in the region and facilitate future connections to Phoenix, Arizona, neighboring counties, and tribal networks, as well as an I-40 corridor expansion in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
“This network will ensure the continuity of County operations and provide reliable connectivity to residents and businesses for years to come,” said Navajo County Chairman of the Board Jason E. Whiting. “It can also help bring new businesses to the region by meeting the connectivity needs required to operate efficiently in today’s global economy.”
eX² Technology designed and will operate and maintain the middle-mile network upon completion under a 20-year agreement. Additionally, eX² will serve as the County’s exclusive commercialization partner to market and offer conduit, dark fiber, wireless and other wireline assets on a competitively neutral basis to those seeking to expand their services throughout the region.
Navajo County received a $9.7 million Rural Arizona Broadband Development Grant from the Arizona Commerce Authority to provide its residents and businesses with affordable broadband internet services. The $9.7 million from this competitive grant will be combined with the $10 million already allocated by the Navajo County Board of Supervisors from ARPA funds for a total $19.7 million investment in broadband infrastructure.
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