Vancouver's Lite Access receives fibre optic order to connect West Virginia data centre

Lite Access Technologies Inc. (CSE:LTE)(OTC PINK:LTCCF), a Vancouver integrated fibre optic provider, has received an order from Alpha Technologies, one of the company’s certified sales and installation partners, to build a more than 30-mile fibre optic ring connecting Alpha’s 80,000 square foot data centre in South Charleston, West Virginia to more than 100 buildings in the business and medical districts of both Charleston and South Charleston.
The order, for the supply of Lite Access’ proprietary microduct and fibre optic components, is valued at C$585,000, including technical assistance relating to its installation.
“Alpha Technologies’ proposed fiber optic deployment will enable us to provide Gig services to the businesses in Charleston and South Charleston, West Virginia,” said Alpha Technologies Director of Special Projects Charlie Dennie. “Lite Access Technologies supplies us with a complete fibre optic deployment ‘solution’ while every other vendor we talked to was trying to sell us parts.”
The installation is expected to be completed early in 2017, and was partially funded by a loan from the West Virginia Development Authority.
Alpha Technologies formed a strategic partnership in late August with Lite Access to deploy their various fibre optic solutions, including micro-trenching, air-blown fibre and reinstatement methodologies.
“We’re extremely happy to add Alpha to our list of international certified micro-trench installers,” said Lite Access Chief Commercial Officer Michael Priest. “It’s another win-win situation for both parties. Alpha will be trained on our deployment methods, including microduct technologies, air-blown fibre and restoration methods. The end result will be a seamless fibre optic network for the citizens of Charleston enabling Tele-Health, schools, government and businesses with Gig speed fibre optic connectivity.”
The traditional method of laying fibre cables and large ducts under city streets is impractical in that it requires trenches that are several feet wide and deep, which can create traffic chaos above ground, sometimes for several days but often for weeks at a time during installation.
This installation is unique to West Virginia in that it will be built completely underground using micro-trenching, which enables a less intrusive and non-disruptive method of installing fibre networks, allowing crews to deploy 1,500 to 2,000 feet of network per day, installing microducts in narrow trenches made within sidewalks and roadways.
Alpha Technologies is based in Hurricane, West Virginia.
Lite Access has developed a proprietary method of micro-trench and micro-drill microduct and fibre optic deployments for end users, including homes, government, educational institutions and emergency response facilities, which it has deployed throughout North and South America, the United Kingdom, the Caribbean, Australia and Asia.
Last week, Lite Access was selected as provider of a pilot Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) network deployment to provide high speed connectivity to 70 homes in the Yukon Territory, in partnership with Total North Communications Ltd.
Also last week, Lite Access received an additional C$900,000 order from repeat client the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation in Washington State, along with another proprietary micro-trench fibre build for the Colville Tribes.