World Wide Packets, provider of Ethernet Access Networking Solutions, announced that Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) in San Juan County is using its LightningEdge platform to deliver data services to businesses, schools, medical facilities, and government offices on the county's four largest islands: San Juan, Orcas, Lopez, and Shaw. As part of the network deployment, World Wide Packets' LightningEdge interoperates with OPALCO's existing Cisco SONET backbone network.

Unlike many traditional FTTX deployments, the Island Network runs over submarine cables, presenting a unique installation challenge. Orcas Power and Light worked in conjunction with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers to ensure that environmental guidelines were followed and that the massive cables could be deployed cost-effectively and on schedule. Currently, 26 cables connect the islands to provide electricity and data connectivity, with the first fiber cable laid in October 2004.

This past February, Orcas Power and Light introduced VLAN connectivity to government and municipal buildings in Friday Harbor, the seat of San Juan County government. The rural electric cooperative has allocated space for co-location so that service providers throughout the chain of islands can offer all business and residential customers a range of new applications, including video and voice.

"Creating an FTTX network will allow us to keep up with the evolution of new content that can be delivered to enterprises," explained Beth Anderson, manager of Island Network and Technical Services for OPALCO. "We want to be able to provide for existing businesses and also attract new companies to the islands. World Wide Packets' LightningEdge was the best fit for cost, performance, and interoperability to extend broadband connectivity from the Cisco SONET backbone and enable the delivery of new services not previously possible."

"This rollout is yet another testament to power of collaboration between public and private entities for better economic growth and diversity," added Chad Whalen, senior vice president of business development at World Wide Packets. "It's encouraging to see public entities like OPALCO take control of their future by securing the funding necessary to deploy this advanced fiber network that will enable service providers to reach more customers with services not possible on their existing networks. By embracing a model which helps new market entrants deliver a wide range of services, OPALCO has brought a higher level of access to enterprises and residents in San Juan County."