WHAT IS THE MIDDLE MILE?

A "Middle Mile" network is a broadband infrastructure project that does not predominantly provide broadband service to end users or to end-user devices, and may include interoffice transport, backhaul, Internet connectivity, or special access. In other words, the Middle Mile network is an extension of the Internet backbone that connects Last Mile providers (Internet Service Providers) who ultimately serve the residents, businesses, and governments in our region, to the rest of the world. The Middle Mile network is typically connected to multiple "access points" along the Internet backbone routes.

The Internet Backbone

The Internet backbone refers to the main trunk "super highway" connections of the Internet. It is made up of a large collection of interconnected commercial, government, academic and other high-capacity data routes and routing devices that carry data across the US and the rest of the world.

Optical fiber is what actually carries the enormous amounts of data (which makes up the voice, video, and data communications of the world) that are global communications today. From Tokyo to London and across the USA it is fiber optic networks that deliver the capacity and reliability every network relies on. We are fortunate that several of the backbone routes run along the Interstate Highway system, criss-crossing our region. By tapping into multiple providers at multiple points on the Internet backbone we create redundancy and huge capacity into the region.