Maine Fiber Company, Inc., has tapped nextGen Telecom Services Group to build a 1,100-mile fiber optic network throughout Maine as part of an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus project.

The company calls the effort the three-ring binder network because it will expand broadband connectivity to both individuals and community organizations such as schools and libraries in rural parts of Maine. The fiber optic network will span 100 Maine communities that encompass 110,000 households, 600 schools, libraries and other anchor community institutions, and 38 government facilities.

Maine Fiber formed to manage the construction, maintenance and leasing of the network, which will provide access to all qualified users on an open access, non-discriminatory basis. NextGen (News - Alert) is a New Hampshire-based network infrastructure contractor, which has also done major fiber to the home network builds for TDS Telecom as well as projects with Time Warner Cable, Verizon Business (News - Alert), and others. In addition to doing the Maine Fiber build, nextGen will provide maintenance and emergency restoration services as part of the deal.

“In a full and open competitive bidding process, nextGen stood alone in terms of delivering the most cost-effective and comprehensive services combined with the facilities, workforce and a project manager all based in Maine to not only build the network, but also ensure it is maintained going forward,” says Joshua Broder, general manager of Maine Fiber. “More importantly, nextGen brings deep experience in Maine to the project in terms of building fiber optic networks for service providers, wind farms, smart grids, businesses and other customers – particularly in rural areas.”