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PORTLAND, Maine

Maine Fiber Company connects UNE campuses and communities

The University of New England’s mission to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation took a big leap forward with recent connection to Maine Fiber Company’s “Three Ring Binder” network. With locations in Biddeford and Portland, as well as a new campus in Tangier, Morocco, UNE has partnered with Maine Fiber Company (MFC) to construct new open-access fiber optic cables to each Maine campus, recognizing that communications play an increasingly critical role in higher education.

Senator Angus King, who has been a strong proponent of increased broadband access in Maine, remarked, “High-speed Internet service must be a central part of our infrastructure in order for our economy and communities to thrive. We took a significant step forward in connecting rural areas to the rest of the world through the Three Ring Binder broadband project, and this collaboration between the Maine Fiber Company and the University of New England is a continuation of that critical effort.”     

UNE’s connection to MFC’s fiber network will allow for seamless communication between campuses to enhance video applications and connections to specialized education programs. Through MFC’s continuous dark fiber path from the Canadian border to Boston, UNE is also able to connect internationally with its Tangier Campus.

“UNE is delighted to provide our students with an enhanced level of global connectivity through this network,” stated UNE President Danielle Ripich, Ph.D.

UNE and Maine Fiber Company share a commitment to operating on a non-discriminatory, open-access basis to benefit the communities they serve, including Biddeford and the Deering Heights area of Portland. This allows anchor institutions, such as schools, municipalities, hospitals and departments of public safety, to connect to MFC’s high-capacity fiber optic network as well, through any ISP or broadband provider.

Jeff McCarthy, Maine Fiber Company vice president of business development said, “Connecting institutions like UNE and the local community to Maine Fiber Company’s Three Ring Binder represents the essence of our business – driving Maine’s information economy. Because of the extensive network MFC has built, we’re able to help connect Maine communities to the world everyday.”

About Maine Fiber Company

Maine Fiber Company is private Maine-owned company that built and manages an open-access, 1,250 route-mile high-capacity dark fiber optic network. This middle-mile network helps make broadband access more readily available to 110,000 households and 600 community anchor institutions across Maine. Learn more about Maine Fiber Company. 

 

About the University of New England

The University of New England is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of flexible, accredited online degrees. In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.