SiFi Networks will put over $70 million into constructing a new fiber open access network in Michigan’s Farmington Area.
The privately-funded network will provide access to all of the Farmington area’s nearly 50,000 households, businesses and institutions with speeds up to 10 Gbps through T-Mobile Fiber.
Editor's note 11/16/23: Since this article's initial publication T-Mobile requested clarification that T-Mobile will only provide internet for residential services, not business.
SiFi Networks is known for its privately funded open access fiber networks across the U.S., all of which fall under its FiberCity Project initiative.
The Farmington Area FiberCity network will be a multi-year project through the cities of Farmington Hills and Farmington. According to Marketing Director Sara Pickstock, SiFi has a community relations team and a marketing team that will work together to inform the community of the project.
Pickstock said SiFi is currently building its open access network in 10 cities, and one more will launch later this week.
“We are starting new cities all of the time, with a further two to commence hopefully this year,” she said.
So far, SiFi has built open access networks in California, Illinois, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut and Florida. The company has a public map of all the FiberCity projects on its website.
Open-access networks have gained momentum in the U.S. recently, as some in the industry have lauded the open access model for being less disruptive for communities, as they don’t have to endure multiple companies digging up streets to deploy fiber. Other open access fiber players in the U.S. include Intrepid Fiber, SiFi Networks, Ubiquity and UTOPIA Fiber.
In addition to the Farmington Area, T-Mobile Fiber is also tapped into the SiFi network through its Kenosha FiberCity project in Wisconsin.
Other providers operating through SiFi's open access network in the U.S. include Ting, Flume, and Gigabit Now.
“As we celebrate the City of Farmington Hills' 50th anniversary, we're looking forward to the future," said City of Farmington Hills City Manager Gary Mekjian at a press conference announcing the launch. "With the addition of SiFi Networks' trailblazing technology to our City's infrastructure, the future is fast approaching."