Town of Bennington Selects FirstLight for Secure Connectivity

News provided by

Mar 20, 2019, 10:00 ET

ALBANY, N.Y., March 20, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstLight, a leading provider of fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast, announced today that the Town of Bennington, Vermont, has selected FirstLight to provide fiber optic Internet connectivity to the town office and its various satellite offices, as well as provide a managed firewall solution.

Bennington is the fourth largest town in Vermont, and is well known for the Battle of Bennington, which took place during the Revolutionary War. For municipal staff, however, today's battles are often those waged against the lack of time and limited budgets. Supporting the constant requests from constituents for building permits, zoning codes, tax records, and other critical documents requires municipal employees to work efficiently and often on line to compile data, share scanned documents, and work interdepartmentally.

More than ever, municipal leaders also need to be able to interact with the public 24/7 and have turned to fiber connectivity to disseminate and manage important community information concerning traffic updates, storm issues, emergencies, and school closings. They also have to safeguard against cyber-attacks, security breaches, and computer viruses that could hinder their communication with residents.

"An important aspect of this project is the increased security and interconnectivity it provides to our entire system and facilities, along with redundant back up," explained Town Manager Stuart A. Hurd. "Bennington, Vermont is a town of 15,700 people located at the base of the Green Mountains. While we are rural in nature, we need the highest level of interconnectivity and, certainly, in today's world, the highest level of security this system provides."

"Municipal leaders need to be able to interact with the public quickly and efficiently, and ensure information is secure," explained Kurt Van Wagenen, FirstLight President and CEO. "In addition, they need to share information seamlessly among members of various departments. Our fiber connectivity and firewall solutions allow municipalities to ensure they have the bandwidth and the high degree of security they need to serve their residents well."

About FirstLight
FirstLight, headquartered in Albany, New York, provides fiber-optic data, Internet, data center, cloud and voice services to enterprise and carrier customers throughout the Northeast connecting nearly 8,000 locations in service with more than 30,000 locations serviceable by our 14,000-route mile network. FirstLight offers a robust suite of advanced telecommunications products featuring a comprehensive portfolio of high bandwidth connectivity solutions including Ethernet, wavelength and dark fiber services as well as dedicated Internet access solutions, data center, cloud and voice services. FirstLight's clientele includes national cellular providers and wireline carriers and many leading enterprises, spanning high tech manufacturing and research, hospitals and healthcare, banking and financial, secondary education, colleges and universities, and local and state governments.

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

Media Contact:
Jaymie Scotto & Associates (JSA)
+1 866.695.3629 ext. 6

About the Town of Bennington
Chartered in 1749, Bennington is the first town chartered in Vermont. The town is home to the Bennington Battle Monument, which is the tallest human-made structure in the state of Vermont. The town has ready access to natural resources and water power, and a long history of manufacturing. The town is also recognized nationally for its pottery, iron, and textiles.

For more information, contact:
Michele M. Johnson
Human Resources & Contracts Administrator
(802) 447-9702
[email protected]
www.benningtonvt.org

SOURCE FirstLight