Silver Cos. and SummitlG partner to deliver new bandwidth

Published January 14, 2014 by Paula C. Squires

The Silver Cos. said Tuesday that it is partnering with SummitIG to deliver new fiber capacity to the Quantico Corporate Center at Stafford  (QCCS) and the entire Quantico region. The private installation will expand connectivity within Stafford County, home to many tech, defense and security companies that require secure access.

“With SummitIG's dark fiber offering, customers in the Quantico region will have unique connectivity options to multiple carriers and Internet Exchange points along the network,” David Newman, vice president of the Silver Cos., and the Quantico Corporate Center, said in a statement. (Dark fiber refers to undedicated fiber.) The center is one of Silver’s many developments in the Fredericksburg area.

SummitIG, based in Northern Virginia, is a custom network solutions and bandwidth infrastructure provider. It said in a news release that it plans to leverage its extensive network infrastructure across Virginia to deliver dark-fiber networks and connectivity from Ashburn to Richmond.

SummitlG will install a regeneration facility at the QCCS, and also plans to develop a new facility there to facilitate distribution of the underground dark-fiber conduit system among existing and proposed office buildings at the center.

“The dark fiber will provide virtually unlimited connectivity to tenants at QCCS. Our unique offering between Northern Virginia and Richmond passes through the heart of Stafford County and presents an opportunity to empower and support the growth of companies located within the region,” Bill Cook, CEO of SummitIG, said in a statement.

The infrastructure is being designed to support other strategic facilities nearby, including an adjacent tract of land recently purchased by Stafford County for the development of a technology and research park initiative.

Newman described the project as  “a significant step forward for Stafford County, QCCS and the entire Fredericksburg area. SummitIG’s network should enable companies in this region to fully control their networks at a lower cost …”

According to Newman, bandwidth in the region is limited, with some of the infrastructure dated or oversubscribed, which reduces connectivity speed and limits volume on existing networks. The Silver Cos. said it has been working with several organizations that share a similar vision to enhance fiber capacity in the Quantico area. Besides SummitIG, advocates of the project include Stafford County, Development Consulting Services, Data Center Leasing, ABET Inc., REMTCS and Express Technologies Inc.

“This new fiber capacity will enhance the county’s competitive position as a premier destination for companies that require unencumbered, secure broadband access, and are seeking a location that will support their growth,” said Tim Baroody, Stafford County’s deputy county administrator.

Since breaking ground in 2006, QCCS has become home to some top global defense corporations. Tenants include BAE Systems, CSC, General Dynamics, ManTech International and SAIC.