FirstLight Fiber Completes Ethernet Certification With Major U.S. Wireless Carrier

ALBANY, NY--(Marketwired - Sep 24, 2013) - FirstLight Fiber (formerly known as Tech Valley Communications), a facilities-based telecommunications service provider operating fiber optic networks in Upstate New York and Northern New England with connectivity to Canada, announced today that it has successfully completed Ethernet certification with a major U.S. based wireless carrier.

Under the terms of the agreement, FirstLight will provide wholesale backbone infrastructure and Ethernet-based, cell site backhaul solutions to support the carrier's 4G rollout throughout northern New England. The additional capacity will assist the carrier with meeting the growing demand for mobile data, rich media and video on its network throughout the region. Leveraging its dense fiber footprint in New England and New York, FirstLight is able to provide wireless carriers with cost effective and scalable Ethernet connections in areas that are difficult to reach.

"The insatiable demand for bandwidth from wireless carriers is increasing," stated Patrick Coughlin, Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing for FirstLight. "FirstLight's innovative technology provides major wireless carriers with reliable and scalable solutions required to help their businesses thrive, and for their customers to receive a mobile experience that is fast, reliable, and content-rich."

FirstLight is now Ethernet certified with all of the major U.S. wireless carriers. The rigorous certification process can take nearly a year to complete and assesses a number of factors including the carrier's SLA performance as well as the ability to quickly turn up service. This certification is an important milestone and sets the stage for FirstLight to begin providing services to this carrier.

To learn more about FirstLight, visit www.firstlight.net or follow the Company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About FirstLight Fiber
FirstLight Fiber (formerly known as Tech Valley Communications), headquartered in Albany, NY, provides fiber optic data, Internet, colocation and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers in Upstate New York and Northern New England with connectivity to Canada utilizing its own fiber optic network, which spans over 190,000 fiber miles connecting in excess of 1,300 lit buildings. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications services, including dedicated Internet access, Metro Ethernet, traditional TDM solutions, SIP trunks, virtual PBX and Data Center Colocation. FirstLight's clientele includes national cellular providers and CLECs and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial institutions, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments. FirstLight is the parent company of New Hampshire-based CLEC, segTEL, and recently acquired the assets of Vermont-based CLEC, TelJet. FirstLight is a portfolio company of Boston-based private equity firm Riverside Partners.