Stimulus money to provide broadband for Ivy Tech campuses, rural communities

A total of 21 Ivy Tech Community College campuses, including those in Elkhart and Warsaw, will benefit from $25.1 million in federal stimulus money that will be used to provide broadband service through the I-Light network, Indiana’s speedy telecommunications network for research and education. The funding will allow Zayo Bandwidth to build 626 miles of new optical-fiber connections across the state to complete the project. I-Light already connects major research universities in Indiana. With this expansion, the Ivy Tech campuses will be connected to the network. Zayo also will make broadband service available to about 80 communities along the fiber path that meet federal guidelines as unserved or underserved. The project, totaling $31.8 million overall and expected to be completed in three years, also is supported by Zayo matching funds and in-kind contributions and investments from Ivy Tech, Indiana University, Ball State University and Purdue University. The upgrade will not affect Ivy Tech’s South Bend campus, which already has broadband service through the Metronet.