Berkshire to Offer High-Speed Telecommunications Network

Efforts to transform rural Berkshire County, Massachusetts from an area of economic decline into an equal player for the New Economy through improved telecommunications access are bearing fruit. Berkshire Connect, a consortium of business, cultural, academic, and community leaders has successfully negotiated an agreement with Global Crossing, Ltd. and Equal Access Networks to provide low-cost, equal access telecommunications throughout the region. This agreement will allow area businesses to save 50% over their current rates for T-1 Internet access.

Equal Access Networks and Global Crossing, Ltd. have agreed to invest several million dollars into the construction of a new facility designed to house voice, Internet, data, and video telecommunications services. This introduction of competition into the Berkshire market is expected to improve the cost, quality, and service offered throughout the county. It is also expected to encourage growth and educational development through the use of the new, improved telecommunications services.

The Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) and the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC) organized the Berkshire Connect Task Force in 1997 to analyze the region's existing telecommunications infrastructure and to develop strategies for providing high-quality, cost-effective telecommunications services for the county.

For more information, visit: http://www.bconnect.org/