Projects
- Senior Planet Montgomery
In 2016, ultraMontgomery partnered with Older Adults Technology Services to bring their award winning technology instructional program - Senior Planet - to Montgomery County. Senior Planet Montgomery’s digital technology classes and lectures are offered through Montgomery County Public libraries, senior centers, and other community partners. The courses are offered free of charge to those age 60 and up, and cover a range of topics including technology basic skills, online shopping, health and wellness, social engagement, and entrepreneurship.
To learn more about the program, click here.
- Expanding Public Wi-Fi
The County’s Office of Broadband Programs is adding or upgrading wireless access point (AP) equipment at FiberNet locations that will enable free public wifi at public facilities.
- Ashburn Fiber Routes
The goal of the Ashburn Fiber Route project is to create shorter-distance routes between Montgomery County and Ashburn Virginia data centers. Most broadband connectivity from the County – especially in the growing Life Sciences Center/Great Seneca Science Center in Gaithersburg and Germantown – travels longer routes to Ashburn, north to Point of Rocks, MD, or south-to-east-to-west through Washington DC and northern Virginia.
- Update on Ashburn Fiber Project (April 2018)
Crown Castle (through its purchase of Lightower) opened a shorter distance, lower latency route under the Potomac River near White’s Ferry Rd and has partnered with local data center Atlantech Online, to expand connectivity to this route.
Montgomery County is working with Dark Fiber & Infrastructure (which purchased USA Fiber) and other fiber providers to expand access to a second Potomac River fiber crossing route at Sycamore Landing.
- Technical White Paper Explaining Benefits of Shorter-Distance Fiber Routes Between Montgomery County and Ashburn Data Centers (July 2015)
- Update on Ashburn Fiber Project (April 2018)