Fiber Optic Cable in Nebraska

All of the trunks/circuits/connections between towns in Nebraska are provided on digital facilities. All host exchange switches in communities in the state of Nebraska are connected by fiber facilities. A vast majority of the remote exchange switch communities are connected to their host switch with fiber facilities.

For additional reliability of service local telephone companies are continuing fiber deployment to establish a second route to each community and in many cases using SONET Ring Technology that provides a self-healing alternative route. MLPS technology is being deployed which provides great flexibility for rerouting connections for continuity of service.

Nebraska's local telephone companies are actively deploying fiber in the farm and ranch areas of their exchanges to connect rural hubs from which broadband capabilities are provided to all farm and ranch customers. Currently there are 141 communities where every farm and ranch customer has the availability of broadband using other technologies in addition to satellite. Telephone companies are continuing with placing fiber in the farm and ranch areas. In all of these communities the "IN-Town" customers have the availability of accessing broadband services and this access will only get better in the rural, farm, and ranch areas.

Combining the use of fiber between communities and distribution within the communities and the rural areas, the industry is approaching having 20,000 miles of fiber optic cable in service to serve Nebraska customers.