iFiber is coming

Kirkland about to get wired with fiber-optic plan

By NICOLE WESKERNA

nonprofit Illinois Fiber Resources Group, known as iFiber, is leading the effort to install a network hundreds of miles long throughout northwest Illinois to provide better access to broadband. Northern Illinois University is acting as the fiscal agent for the $68.5 million project.

Herb Kuryliw, network and technology architect for NIU, said the iFiber program stemmed from an NIU pilot program that ended in 2006. He said the 711 miles of fiber-optic network being installed throughout the area is meant to be an economic driver for community anchor institutions, such as schools, hospitals and government agencies.

“We’ll be able to reach out to communities with small populations – 150-home communities – and bring a superhighway of broadband activity,” Kuryliw said.

Construction of the network started about two months ago, said John Lewis, chairman of the iFiber organization. In that time, about 50 miles of fiber-optic cables have been installed among Rockford, Belvidere and Cherry Valley along Business Route 20 and Route 72, he said.

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