Many challenges face the demanding financial community – fragmentation, Exchange consolidation, high cost of multiple deployments to trading venues – all of these dynamics prove difficult to manage in a rapidly changing environment. When you can’t afford to loose valuable time and money Switch and Data’s GeoReach program coupled with Hibernia’s Global Financial Network (GFN) are something to consider. Recently Hibernia Atlantic expanded its Global Financial Network (GFN) into Switch & Data’s financial EcoCenter in North Bergen, NJ, which is one of the hubs for its GeoReach program, allowing financial firms to consolidate from a central location, more effectively use their resources, as well as offer them the speed to reach regional liquidity providers.

Hibernia’s GFN is a natural fit for the GeoReach program as it was specifically engineered to meet the demanding needs of the high-frequency trading community marked by high performance, low latency, and industry leading rapid deployments – just 5 days from signature to service. The GFN provides secure and redundant dedicated fiber connectivity to not only EcoCenter/GeoReach sites but also to key exchanges, broker dealers, hedge funds, market data providers and global banks – all across the U.S., Canada, and Europe. One single point of connectivity to the GFN can unite multiple facilities in strategic locations all across the global financial community.

Streamline your trading strategy and regain control – check out Hibernia’s GFN.

To read the press release in its entirety, click here.

Here’s the JS&A ‘Top 10 in 2010′ List of Hot Marketing Tips.  Take a look and let us know your thoughts, predictions and trends for marketing this year as well.

10.  Content is King: We are no longer in Kansas Toto.  You can’t just write around the topic anymore.  Say it precisely, say it again and get out.  Make sure it’s relevant or folks won’t read.  There’s a very low tolerance these days for anything but real.  BTW: this will drive your site retention, SEO, media pickup etc.  So really, keep it real.

9.  Marketing Means Experience: Think Apple, Amazon and Starbucks.  All these brands understand that users/viewers want an experience, not just a product.  Understand your buyers, including their emotional drivers, and make sure your product or service offers it.  In a trying economy, the experience you provide can be that key differentiator for why you succeed.

8. Customer Service: This point goes hand-in-hand with “experience.”  If you don’t do it well, don’t do it at all.  If that means only having 3 products vs. 5, then only have 3.  And customer service should be a top consideration of every member of your company, including your receptionists, technicians and A/P representatives.

7. Tell A Story: No one wants to hear a company ringing its own bell anymore.  Give us customer testimonials and case studies, preferably in video.  Give us the reasons why.  The days of just stating “we are the best” are over, thank goodness.

6. The Community Wins: With blog comments, facebook posts, and YouTube dumps, to name just a few, there are more ways than ever to hear from the buyer/community-at-large.   2010 will be the year companies have to listen and should respond… or risk having no control over messaging hitting the marketplace.

5. Not So Personal Anymore: As we are all jumping online for our latest tweets or LinkedIn posts, be careful of your “personal” posts– as personal is not so personal anymore, especially when your CEO and mother-in-law are your latest “followers” and “friends”.

4. The More Minds the Better: Sharing is a key word this decade.  Online Apps, such as Google Apps, YouSendIt, Skype and Webex, are helping companies, large and small, embrace collaboration.  Even QuickBooks is providing secure access for financial employees and external accounting services.  

3. Cell Phone Heaven: Yes, everyone has an iPhone or Android and smartphone apps are all the rage.  But with services like Foursquare hot on the market, it won’t be long before every restaurant you hit or store you step into has a rating and review site and coupons and discounts are being pushed to you.  GPS has never looked creepier.  From a marketing standpoint, yay.

2. Personal Touch: Having said all this, the personal touch still goes a long way.  A hand-written thank you note, a meeting in-person,  a handshake still speaks volumes, perhaps even moreso, in this high-tech crazy world.

1. Listen and Listen More: The last tip is an “oldie but goodie”.  My father used to tell me that the smartest person in the room is usually the quietest.  He might have been trying to keep me quiet for more than 2 seconds, but it always stuck with me.  Most interviews, prospect meetings and even blogs are better when you first listen to others, then speak/write.  It leads to a more productive, targeted conversation.  Ideally it answers a few questions that were on the table.

So without further adieu, please leave your top tip or trend.  Looking forward to reading your posts.

Jaymie Scotto Cutaia

Hibernia Atlantic acquired MediaXstream at the end of 2009 – now it has received a $13.4 Million investment from Constellation Growth Capital:

CONSTELLATION GROWTH CAPITAL INVESTS IN HIBERNIA ATLANTIC INVESTMENT FUELS ADDITIONAL GROWTH FOR HIBERNIA ATLANTIC AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES

SUMMIT, NJ & DUBLIN, IRELAND- January 5, 2010-  Hibernia Atlantic, the transAtlantic high bandwidth connectivity provider, today announced that Constellation Growth Capital (Constellation), a growth equity investor in the convergence of media, communications and technology, invested $13.4 million in the company.  Columbia Ventures Corporation (CVC) owns the remaining shares of the company. 

The investment provides Hibernia with additional capital for growth opportunities, including allowing the company to increase its network Points of Presence (POPs) in North America and Europe. This investment follows Hibernia’s recent acquisition of MediaXstream, a leading provider of high quality transport and managed network services for the media production and broadcast industries.

Constellation is an investment fund founded by Clifford Friedman in 1998 that is now part of Highbridge Principal Strategies, a division of Highbridge Capital Management (HCM). HCM is a $21 billion global alternative asset management firm owned by JPMorgan Asset Management.  Under the terms of the transaction, Mr. Friedman will join Hibernia Atlantic’s Board of Directors.

“We are very pleased that Constellation has decided to make a strategic investment in Hibernia Atlantic,” said Ken Peterson, Chairman of Hibernia Atlantic and CEO of CVC. “Under Cliff’s leadership, Constellation has established a commitment to investing in the convergence of media, communications and technology, sharing common goals with CVC and Hibernia Atlantic. We look forward to working together with Cliff and his team to grow our business and further expand our network reach.”

“The combination of Hibernia with MediaXstream creates a growth company of scale to meet the global needs of both the media and financial services industries. It is one of the few companies which can truly meet the quality of service demands for these industries,” added Mr. Friedman. “Few legacy network providers have implemented network infrastructure that is constructed and architected with the latest production-hardened technologies, giving Hibernia a unique competitive position in the market.”

“Constellation’s investment and industry experience better positions Hibernia to expand our business and provide additional services and POPs for customer connectivity,” said Bjarni Thorvardarson, CEO of Hibernia Atlantic. “Hibernia has grown an average of 80% year-over-year for the past few years and we look forward to what this partnership brings to the next phase of our development.”

please visit www.hiberniaatlantic.com.

Originally posted on December 21, 2009 by the Wireless Blog on Sys-con, written by John Savageau

Defining Business Dynamics of Broadband Communications — Hunter Newby is on a mission. A mission to tear down the shroud of confusion preventing Americans from being wired into global communications at the same level as our neighbors in Asia or Europe. It is all about delivering broadband communications to every addressable device or person wired into the global communications matrix. Hunter, CEO of Allied Fiber, is on a mission to build and deliver high capacity utility fiber optic infrastructure around the United States, connecting every possible carrier hotel, metro fiber provider, wireless tower, and international cable landing station into a nation-wide, neutral communications resource that will push the United States to achieve our economic, social, and academic goals.

To read the full article click here:  http://wireless.sys-con.com/node/1226994

Acquisitions are always exciting.  It usually means healthy company, healthy market, new opportunities and interesting vision into the strategies of the companies involved.  In this case, Hibernia Atlantic, the largest privately-held transatlantic submarine cable operator and the operator of the Global Financial Network (GFN) an ultra-low latency network solution designed to meet the needs of the Financial marketplace, announced it has acquired MediaXstream, an International Broadcast and Media Production Service provider.

The announcement brings great opportunities to both companies.  Hibernia Atlantic is now ‘playing’ in the media and broadcast space, enabling major broadcast network operators to deliver content more efficiently around the world.  The MediaXstream solution will continue to leverage its leading high-bandwidth network providers including Hibernia Atlantic – a network that offers 40Gig connectivity between the US & Europe over its divere and secure network.  In addition, the companies together now reach over 92 points of presence, enhancing each network’s reach substantially while continuing to offer attractive rates. 

According to Hibernia Atlantic’s CEO, Bjarni Thorvardarson, who is also CEO of the newly acquired MediaXstream – which becomes a wholly-owned subsidiary of Hibernia Atlantic, the companies struck the agreement without any third-party advisors.  MediaXstream will add 33 employees to the overall Hibernia organization, nearly doubling the number of employees.   In addition to the employees, Hibernia Atlantic, through its new acquisition, will retain the MediaXstream brand and services in order to support its corporate customers as effectively as possible.  MediaXstream’s management and sales team will continue to support their clients.   The deal was closed on December 11th, 2009 and is an all stock transaction.  Simultaneously, Hibernia Atlantic raised $13.4M to fund further growth of the combined companies.

The press release, in its entirety is below:

HIBERNIA ATLANTIC ACQUIRES INTERNATIONAL BROADCAST AND MEDIA PRODUCTION SERVICE PROVIDER MEDIAXSTREAM

  SERVING WORLDWIDE MEDIA COMPANIES’ INCREASING DEMAND FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE NETWORK SOLUTIONS 

SUMMIT, NJ & DUBLIN, IRELAND- December 15, 2009- Hibernia Atlantic, the only diverse transAtlantic high bandwidth connectivity provider, today announces its acquisition of MediaXstream Inc., a leading provider of high quality transport and managed network services for the media production and broadcast industries. MediaXstream is currently operational in 20 major markets in the U.S. and Europe, serving the increasingly growing demand for High Definition video networking and production services by TV and film production, sports, news, mobile content and IPTV. By adding MediaXstream’s high quality transport services to Hibernia’s already robust financial and carrier-focused network, the combined reach, performance and product offering will add significant marketplace opportunities, technological innovation and customer value. Moving forward, MediaXstream will be a wholly owned subsidiary of Hibernia Atlantic.

The newly combined network capabilities are ideal for global media and broadcast companies looking for high performance, security, and local and global connectivity.

“We are combining the strengths and network reach of both companies to respond to the significant growth of the enterprise and media markets,” states Ken Peterson, Chairman of Hibernia Atlantic and CEO of Columbia Ventures Corporation. “We are finding that more and more media companies are migrating to multi-service network infrastructures, and away from satellite, in order to satisfy their production and broadcast requirements. As demand accelerates, customers are making the shift from analog to digital and from standard definition to high definition.  Large enterprises are also adding multi-service network infrastructures capable of supporting high definition video as critical elements of their daily operations.  The combination of MediaXstream with Hibernia’s secure and diverse North American and European network positions the combined company for continued rapid growth.”

Hibernia Atlantic significantly expands the network reach of MediaXstream into more than 10 key European markets while MediaXstream expands Hibernia’s North American network to 17 additional key Points of Presence in 14 new cities in the South and West, including Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Dallas, Houston, Denver, Tampa, Miami, Atlanta, Washington DC, Baltimore, San Diego and Las Vegas.

Hibernia’s acquisition of MediaXstream offers customers continued diversity in a range of scalable services, including colocation, interconnection and support. In addition, the acquisition enables Hibernia to offer customers critical monitoring support from its Dublin Network Operations Center (NOC) and MediaXstream’s Television Operating Center (TOC) in Baltimore, MD. “We are excited to be a part of the Hibernia Atlantic family and will bring high quality transport and managed network services to Hibernia’s best-of-breed network services,” states Del Bothof, President of MediaXstream. “Additionally, MediaXstream will benefit greatly from the financial and wholesale strengths of Hibernia. We are excited to extend our customers’ access into Europe and beyond over Hibernia’s fast and secure network. This deal reflects our commitment to our customers to provide the highest quality network service.”

“Operating the largest, national, state-of-the-art optical switching and Dynamic Transport Mode (DTM) network, MediaXstream specializes in transporting flawless digital and High Definition content in its native formats as demanded by TV and film production companies, mobile carriers and other customers who generate and manage media content.  MediaXstream bridges current industry operations with the demands of emerging new technologies, offering transport reliability that meets customers’ needs,” states Bjarni Thorvardarson, CEO of Hibernia Atlantic. “With this acquisition, Hibernia is expanding our product portfolio to our worldwide customers and leveraging both companies’ network expertise to offer an innovative network choice to media and enterprise customers alike.”

 ###

About Hibernia Atlantic:
Hibernia Atlantic is the only American-owned, diverse transAtlantic high bandwidth connectivity provider.  Hibernia is a subsidiary of Columbia Ventures Corporation (CVC).  It is a TransAtlantic submarine cable and terrestrial fiber network that offers over 92 redundant network Points of Presence (PoPs) throughout Canada, US, UK and mainland Europe on over 24,000 kilometers of network.  Hibernia provides secure and diverse dedicated Ethernet, DTM and optical-level service up to GigE, 10G and LanPhy wavelengths and traditional SONET/SDH services. In addition, Hibernia offers wholesale capacity prices, unparalleled support, flexibility and service. For more information on Hibernia Atlantic’s cutting-edge network or to view their corporate video, please visit www.hiberniaatlantic.com.

For Hibernia Atlantic business inquiries, please contact Melissa Butler at 908-988-1990 or melissa.butler@hiberniaatlantic.com.
 
To view Hibernia’s corporate overview video, please click here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0xVMLEfFrk&eurl=

About MediaXstream, Inc.

MediaXstream provides high quality transport and managed network services for the production and broadcast industries in 20 North American and European markets. Operating the largest national DTM network, we specialize in transporting flawless digital and High Definition content in its native formats as demanded by sports, TV and film production, news, mobile and IPTV. The company has received financial backing from Constellation Ventures and Columbia Ventures Corporation.

For more information on MediaXstream, please visit: http://mediaxstream.tv/

IPC SELECTS HIBERNIA ATLANTIC’S GLOBAL FINANCIAL NETWORK (GFN) TO PROVIDE NEXT GENERATION DATA NETWORK SOLUTIONS

GFN Provides Secure and Diverse Connectivity between North America and Europe

SUMMIT, NJ & DUBLIN, IRELAND- October 20, 2009- Hibernia Atlantic, the only diverse transAtlantic submarine transport cable provider, today announces that it has been selected by IPC Systems, the leading provider of indispensable communications solutions to financial services firms, to help create the foundation for its Next Generation Data Network Solutions in North America and Europe.

Hibernia’s GFN provides ultra low latency network connectivity between global banks and financial exchanges through a single connection, over its diverse and secure global communications network.  The network is built upon 24,000 Kilometers of fiber optic cable and offers customers access to key metropolitan markets and financial exchanges in North America, the United Kingdom and across Europe. 

“IPC is committed to delivering new network capabilities such as Electronic Connection Services, to link market participants to exchanges,” commented Jeff Britell, director, Carrier Services, Americas, IPC.  “We partnered with Hibernia Atlantic to provide our services because their ground-breaking network topology delivers the low latency, resiliency and rapid turn-up time required for our customers to maintain a competitive edge.”

“IPC has not only been a customer, but a partner with 10 points of presence on our network throughout North America and Europe,” added Joe Hilt, vice president, Americas, Hibernia Atlantic.  “The GFN has provided IPC with unique opportunities to extend into new markets quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively.  If they need to get into a market, we are there to deliver it for them.”

Currently Hibernia Atlantic’s GFN provides customers with a guaranteed five-day turn-up from signature to service, or one month free.

For more information on Hibernia Atlantic’s GFN, please visit www.hiberniagfn.com.

For Hibernia Atlantic’s company information, including its latest network maps and service offerings, please visit www.hiberniaatlantic.com.

On June 25, 2009 Rich Tehrani, President of TMC interviewed Joe Hilt, VP Sales & Marketing for Hibernia Atlantic in the TMCNet newsroom at the Telx CBX.

Joe Hilt introduces Hibernia Atlantic – a diverse transatlantic cable system providing complete diverse backhaul system on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.  The cable provides true diversity from other sub-sea cable systems.

 In 2009 – the company made two-key announcements:

First – a  new transatlantic and terrestrial system to Northern Ireland dubbed ‘Project Kelvin’.  Its goal is to enhance connectivity to this underdeveloped area.

Second – the Global Financial Network  (GFN) – basically a financial Extranet.  A network specifically designed to meet the needs of the Global Financial Community.  As of June 2009, the company had 31 exchange points and offers 5-day turn-up from any point on its network.   

According to Joe Hilt, the company will be looking to add new Points of Presence (POPs) within it’s network space (Chicago to Frankfurt) to delivery end-to-end services.

To view the complete video interview, which takes only a few minutes – please visit: http://www.tmcnet.com/tmc/videos/default.aspx?vid=1231

For more information about Hibernia Atlantic and the company’s Global Financial Network services – please visit:  www.hiberniagfn.com or www.hiberniaatlantic.com

 Arbinet isn’t just a global wholesale voice provider, the company offers leading IP solutions to the marketplace, providing efficiencies for companies that need bandwidth.  The solution provides the most flexible, non-committed service offering in the marketplace – while gaining access to multiple leading Tier 1 and Tier 2 backbones – simultaneously.

Basically, customers connect to the Arbinet platform with one connection (read:  one cross-connect fee).  This connection brings them into the Arbinet platform, patented technology that optimizes and improves IP transit delivery over the Internet.   Customers can choose to no committment (just billed on burst traffic) or minimal committments as low as 1Mbps and as high as 1Gbps.  Customers choose from 3 different products – depending on their requirements:

• OptimizedIP - Arbinet automatically routes traffic over the best route to the best provider on the platform.  This service measures quality on packet loss, jitter and round-trip delay (latency)  out-performing traditional BGP routing solutions.
• PrimeIP – which provides a one-stop-shop connection to multiple suppliers, allowing buyers flexibility to change among providers to guarantee the best quality for their IP transit solutions.
• SelectIP – comparable to a traditional paid-peering solution for IP Transit buyers.  Again, one connection – one bill – and flexible committments.

The Arbinet IP Solution (no additional AS hop)

The press release issued on October 29th touts the enhancements to the company’s OptimizedIP solution.      OtpmizedIP V2 uses a sophisticated algorithm to test packets across providers’ networks every 15 minutes.  In addition, the service is also available as turnkey software solution that can be deployed in any IP network that requires enhanced performance (without having to interconnect to the Arbient IP Solutions platform).

Arbinet IP Solutions Enhances its OptimizedIP^sm Service

OptimizedIP V2 Provides Efficient Optimized Routing Solutions for Internet Traffic

NEW YORK, NEW YORK, USA, LONDON and HONG KONG –  October 29, 2009– Arbinet Corporation [Nasdaq: ARBX], a leading global provider of innovative voice and IP solutions for buying and selling telecommunications capacity, today announces the release of OptimizedIP^sm V2, an intelligent Layer 2 IP route optimization service that provides enhanced Internet multi-homing.  Through its patented software technology, OptimizedIP V2 offers buyers connectivity to multiple Tier-1 Internet service providers (ISP) via a single connection.  The service provides buyers with a single routing table of aggregated Internet backbones.  Without adding any additional network hops, the solution optimizes network performance by selecting the best route from among multiple providers, solving performance issues associated with traditional BGP and best effort public Internet routing. The service optimizes Internet data delivery to meet the high quality standards required by performance critical applications such as VoIP, gaming and live video.

Increased demand for high quality Internet access continues to grow as more critical applications rely on Internet Protocol (IP) technology.  Traditional BGP provides routing based on the shortest AS path and ignores congestion and key quality metrics such as latency, packet loss and jitter. OptimizedIP V2 addresses these issues by utilizing sophisticated algorithmic configurations to route traffic over the Internet.  The service works by determining test IP addresses for networks from the global BGP routing tables and uses Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) to ping packets to these test addresses.  The results are then analyzed by the OptimizedIP system as often as every 15 minutes.  Routing is prioritized based on lowest packet loss, round trip delay and jitter.  This process occurs for each individual query ensuring that no matter where the packets need to go, they will get to the destination on the optimal and most efficient path.  With only one connection, one routing table and no additional ASN hops, OptimizedIP provides streamlined and optimized Internet service with simultaneous access to multiple suppliers.

 “Although IP transit is largely commoditized, our service and test results prove that not all networks are designed equally, and not all networks provide optimal paths for reliably delivering sensitive data,” commented Sue Su, Vice President of Arbinet Data Services. “Even the best ISP cannot control the entire path to the end host because it depends on its peering and customer networks.  OptimizedIP adds value to our customers’ IP service offerings and helps them to differentiate their services, improve network redundancy, performance and profitability.”

OptimizedIP V2 is also available as a turnkey software solution which can be deployed in any IP network that requires enhanced routing performance. It saves the hassles and cost of in-house manual routing manipulation and engineered optimization.  ISPs and providers of mission critical applications anywhere in the world can take advantage of Arbinet’s intelligent technology to optimize routing among their existing ISP suppliers and offer premium Internet services to their end customers.  The service offers enhanced intelligent tools developed for in-depth network routing analysis and testing.

OptimizedIP is one of three IP solution products offered by Arbinet. Other products include PrimeIP^sm, which provides one-stop IP transit supplier management and SelectIP^sm, an efficient peering solution that offers flexible access to on-net routes of multiple networks via one connection.  All Arbinet’s IP Solutions feature a single interconnect, contract, invoice and support interface, and provides access to multiple suppliers and direct peers without incurring an additional ASN hop.  Arbinet’s IP Solutions are available in Europe, North America and Asia.  The company is offering all new customers who sign up before December 31, 2009 a free trial for a limited time.  For more information please email datasales@arbinet.com or visit www.arbinet.com.

It was all over the news ‘National Dark Fiber Network Coming Through South Bend, Indiana.’  Metronet fiber, an ecosystem comprised of infrastructure, end-users and service vendors in South Bend, Indiana has been touting the benefits of Allied Fiber’s dark fiber network, which will run through South Bend, IN in its initial phase. 

Allied Fiber’s network will take advantage of railroad right-of-ways to build direct dark fiber connections to cell towers, data centers, businesses and universities along its way. 

“Basically, we are building the dark fiber structure that most emulates the interstate highway system with on-ramps, off-ramps and rest stops,” explains Hunter Newby, CEO of Allied Fiber.

Allied Fiber’s network will run through South Bend’s renovated Union Station, a former railroad depot now used as a carrier hotel.  

For the complete article, please read below:

Press Release
National Dark Fiber Network Coming Through South Bend, Ind.
10.26.09, 6:00 AM ET

BusinessWire – It’s not just the St. Joe Valley Metronet that’s big on the high-speed, dark-fiber optic technology that permits it to transmit massive amounts of data in the blink of an eye.

Soon, a company called Allied Fiber will connect the coasts via a similar system, which allows multiple carriers to “light,” or turn on, the dark fiber and control the waves of light on which the information travels.

The first stage of Allied Fiber’s lightning-fast system will link Chicago and New York.

And it will run right through South Bend’s renovated Union Station. The former railroad depot is a so-called “carrier hotel,” a high-security facility where numerous telecom firms operate and where transcontinental fiber converges and connects.

Metronet plays a vital role in Allied Fiber’s bid to link the coasts, as it too is a high-speed dark fiber network exceeding 50 miles, connecting dozens of South Bend-area businesses, hospitals and colleges.

Mary Jan Hedman, Metronet’s executive director, calls Allied Fiber’s decision to go through Union Station great news for the region.

“Thanks to Allied Fiber’s national fiber-optic network and Metronet’s corresponding local network, St. Joseph County will be an even smarter location for data centers than it was before,” says Hedman.

“Moreover, our low cost of power and general affordability make this area more attractive,” she says.

Allied Fiber’s plans to connect Chicago and New York via dark fiber are just the beginning of plans by Hunter Newby. He is a former executive with Telx, a carrier hotel firm that was created at 60 Hudson Street in New York City.

Newby, considered by some a telecommunications visionary, is now CEO of Manhattan-based Allied Fiber.

Taking advantage of railroad right-of-ways, he plans to eventually run fiber to Seattle, up and down the East and West coasts and to other key locations in the United States and Canada via interconnections to multiple long-haul routes along the way.

The system will make it easy to build direct dark fiber connections to cell towers, data centers, businesses and universities along the way.

“Basically, we are building the dark fiber structure that most emulates the interstate highway system with on-ramps, off-ramps and rest stops,” he explains.

He predicted dark fiber running from Chicago to New York will be turned over to customers in South Bend by summer of 2010.

“If South Bend wants to develop as a high-tech center, this will only help,” Newby says. “Moreover, you’ve already got the ‘local knowledge’ in Metronet. The combination of the two is incredibly powerful.”

The dark fiber model

Why is this vitally important to businesses and other entities?

Newby says there is a strong need for more dark fiber in this country, in order to keep up with ever-growing data-transfer demands that have resulted from the information revolution over the past two decades.

“There was enough earlier in this decade,” he says. “Not anymore. If there were, people wouldn’t be complaining that they cannot get access. The dark fiber drought impacts wireless, education, government, enterprise as well as carriers of all sizes.”

This understandably is music to the ears of Metronet’s Hedman and Kevin Smith, president and CEO of Union Station/Global Access Point.

Hedman says she is pleased that the Allied Fiber project is based on a dark fiber “model,” which allows different carriers — not just one monopoly carrier — to access the high-speed dark fiber trunk.

“This will stimulate greater competition, and give businesses in our area more choices to access high-speed dark fiber service,” Hedman explained.

“It should also position St. Joseph County as a viable market to provide services because of the low cost, last-mile access created by our firm, the Metronet. As a not-for-profit entity, we were created as a tool to promote growth and attract new business to the area.” The Metronet is an initiative created by Project Future — an economic development organization of St. Joseph County.

Smith, who set up his carrier hotel in Union Station in the late 1980s, praised Newby for his vision of using ultra-fast fiber to connect the coasts and reach other locations throughout the United States, Canada and beyond.

“By going through Union Station, it will give access to our community to use those fibers for conveying digital services,” he says. “For high-tech companies that are considering locating here, this will give a very cost-effective means to go coast to coast and then connect to other low-cost carriers that go abroad.

“This means we will be on the worldwide super-fast hub, many times faster than typical ‘high-speed’ Internet packages for businesses and corporations,” he says. “It will help level the playing field. It’s kind of like having an international airport locate in your backyard.”

Creating a ‘virtualized Chicago’

Smith says he hopes traders and financial companies located in the Cermak Building in downtown Chicago will consider setting up parallel computing facilities at Union Station.

“Cermak, with 1 million square feet of data center, is the dominant player in the financial industry in Chicago,” says Smith, who noted that he has already held discussions with some companies about setting up shop at Union Station.

“I’m working directly with them to get a ‘virtualized Chicago’ based here,” he says. “I’m talking with them right now about being able to put short run fibers to the Union Station.”

Consequently, instead of co-locating in the Chicago suburbs, the opposite direction from New York, they could parallel compute at Union Station and be closer to Wall Street via Allied Fiber.

With Allied Fiber soon to be a player with its state-of-the-art dark fiber, it should make Union Station “very appealing” to Chicago traders and financiers, Smith says.

“This will allow us to touch more robustly all the assets in Chicago, as well as give a broader reach on a global basis for companies based here,” he says. “This is a very big deal.”

SOURCE: St. Joe Valley Metronet

Blue Waters Group Heather Short-Davis, 574-344-0881

Bjarni Thorvardarson has been awarded a Golden Bridges Award.  This award is given to individuals that have proven to promote partnerships between North America and Ireland.  In this case, Mr. Thorvardarson’s company, Hibernia Atlantic, was recognized for its new, fiber optic cable project called ‘Project Kelvin’.  With this project, Hibernia Atlantic will be the only extensive submarine and terrestrial cable deployment that will directly connect the Island of Ireland to North America.

The complete press release is below for your review:

HIBERNIA ATLANTIC’S CEO RECEIVES A GOLDEN BRIDGES AWARD FOR PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN NORTH AMERICA AND IRELAND 

SUMMIT, NJ & DUBLIN, IRELAND- October 16, 2009- Hibernia Atlantic,the only diverse transAtlantic submarine transport cable provider, today announces that its company’s CEO, Bjarni K. Thorvardarson, has been awarded a Golden Bridges Award for promoting partnerships between North America and Ireland through its new, fiber optic cable build development, entitled “Project Kelvin”.  Hibernia Atlantic is the only extensive submarine and terrestrial cable deployment that will directly connect the Island of Ireland to North America.

The award was presented to Mr. Thorvardarson by Valerie Watts, CEO of the Derry City Council during the Irish Echo ‘Gateways to Tomorrow’ Conference in Boston.

“It is an honor to be recognized with a Golden Bridges Award,” states Bjarni Thorvardarson. “And it is privilege to provide local and global businesses access to our secure and ultra low latency capacity to further drive economic development, cooperation and innovative technology.  This award is a testament to the great people of Hibernia working around the clock and I’m proud to accept it on their behalf.”

This historic initiative will add additional and much needed low latency capacity to the Island of Ireland, to further support both local and global companies. Local companies are attracted to the high capacity, extremely secure and reliable network. Businesses can now increase their communications and next-generation Internet service offerings as well as increase their access to a larger marketplace of available service providers. The new network is also attractive to global companies, such as leading financial houses, exchange markets, service providers and media companies, who require fast, low latency bandwidth that avoids traditionally congested routes, such as around the New York and London waterways. 

Hibernia Atlantic recently brought its industry leading fiber optic submarine cable ashore at Portrush, Northern Ireland.  This cable will connect to Hibernia Atlantic’s terrestrial fiber optic ring currently being deployed to 13 towns and cities, including Armagh, Ballymena, Belfast, Castleblayney, Coleraine, Drogheda, Dundalk, Letterkenny, Londonderry, Monaghan, Omagh, Portadown and Strabane. By the end of this year, the cable system will connect to Hibernia Atlantic’s existing transatlantic cable, thereby directly connecting Northern Ireland and the Island of Ireland to both North America and Europe.

For a map of the cable build or more on Hibernia Atlantic, please click here or visit http://www.hiberniaatlantic.com/images/NIrelandMaps5-09_000.jpg.