FTTH deployment brings critical broadband connectivity to dozens of communities

PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield, CT – April 28, 2026 - Sertex Broadband Solutions, a regional leader in fiber optic infrastructure services throughout the Northeast, today announced it has been awarded two Master Service Agreements (MSA) to support broadband infrastructure expansion efforts in western Massachusetts. The contracts reflect the region’s continued investment in high-speed, reliable internet access.

“These awards represent meaningful progress toward closing connectivity gaps in Massachusetts,” said Michael Solitro, founder and CEO of Sertex Broadband Solutions. “We are proud to partner with these municipal utilities to deliver the infrastructure needed for economic development, education, public safety, and quality of life.”

Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber

Westfield Gas & Electric’s Whip City Fiber division recently awarded Sertex a one-year MSA with two optional one-year renewals to install underground service drops connecting the existing distribution fiber network to residential and business properties.

Construction will take place across multiple communities in western Massachusetts, with Westfield serving as the mobilization hub. The project is expected to include more than 1,000 underground service drops, serving the communities of Charlemont, Colrain, Greenfield, Heath, Leyden, Rowe, New Ashford, Ashfield, Chesterfield, Cummington, Goshen, Plainfield, Windsor, New Salem, Wendell, Alford, Becket, Blandford, Otis, Washington, Westfield, West Springfield, Southwick, and East Longmeadow.

Sertex has maintained a years-long working relationship with Westfield Gas & Electric since 2016, supporting prior network buildout and expansion efforts, contributing to the continued growth of the network’s regional fiber footprint.

Chicopee Electric Light/Crossroads Fiber

Sertex has also been awarded a new one-year MSA, with two optional one-year renewals, with Chicopee Electric Light (CEL) to support Crossroads Fiber, a state-of-the-art, municipally-owned 100% fiber network serving the residents and businesses of Chicopee, Massachusetts.

Under this agreement, Sertex will install underground conduit for Chicopee’s FTTH expansion and provide ongoing maintenance and repair services. The contract includes rigorous service standards, including a four-hour on-site response for emergency repairs, and a next-business-day response for scheduled maintenance.

The award builds on Sertex’s 2025 fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) project award with CEL, and further strengthens a successful, long-time partnership that began in 2019.

About Sertex Broadband Solutions
Sertex Broadband Solutions specializes in fiber optic network construction, maintenance, and deployment services for municipalities, utilities, and broadband providers. The company is committed to delivering high-quality, scalable infrastructure that expands access to fast, reliable internet across underserved and growing communities.

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Sidney facility to serve as hub for MOOSE Net engineering and construction

PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield, CT – March 25, 2026 - Sertex Broadband Solutions, a regional leader in fiber optic infrastructure services throughout the Northeast, today announced the opening of a new Maine regional office in Sidney. The facility – located just outside Augusta – includes 9,600 square feet of combined indoor and covered storage space, establishing a long-term operational hub for engineering, construction, and logistics activities supporting the statewide Maine Online Optical Statewide Enabling Network (MOOSE Net).

The Sidney property offers significant advantages for a large-scale, multi-year fiber build, including 7,200 sq ft of interior warehouse and office space, two loading docks, and exterior laydown space, along with proximity to I-95, Exit 113, enabling efficient deployment of crews and materials throughout central and rural Maine.

“Establishing a regional office shows our long-term commitment to Maine and to the communities MOOSE Net will eventually serve,” said Michael Solitro, founder and CEO. “This facility allows us to mobilize crews, materials, and engineering resources more efficiently as we build critical infrastructure to support Maine’s digital economy.”

Sertex was awarded the MOOSE Net design-build contract in 2025. Under this agreement, Sertex is responsible for constructing 450 miles of MOOSE Net’s 530-mile fiber backbone – critical infrastructure that will bring affordable, reliable broadband access to some of Maine’s most rural and underserved communities.

Sertex’s scope of work includes network design, engineering, and permitting, as well as construction of extended rural fiber spans across the challenging terrain. Installation activities will include aerial and underground construction, fiber splicing and termination, and comprehensive network testing. Construction is expected to span two years, with field crews operating across multiple regions of the state.

About Sertex Broadband Solutions

Sertex Broadband Solutions is a regional leader in fiber optic network deployment with more than 30 years of experience serving telecommunications, utility, and municipal customers. Recognized as an FTTH Top 100 company, Sertex specializes in building resilient digital infrastructure that connects unserved and underserved communities, including challenging terrain and remote environments.
Learn more at www.sertexbroadband.com.

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The Sertex 2026 Annual Training program included leadership workshops, classroom modules, and hands-on refreshers to make safety a daily practice.

Every year, Sertex leadership brings our teams together to strengthen the skills, relationships, and culture that make our work possible. In 2026, that tradition continues with a renewed focus on the principle that anchors everything we do: leadership is safety.

The program launched with Leadership Training, followed by the first of three Safety Training sessions. Additional safety sessions will continue through March and April, ensuring every member of our active deployment workforce can participate without slowing down project momentum. These staggered sessions reflect our commitment to both productivity and people—prioritizing training while supporting field readiness across New England.

The leadership workshop brought management and supervisory employees together from across departments and project deployments for open, honest discussion to shape priorities for the year ahead. Feedback reinforced what employees value most:

• A family‑style atmosphere where people feel supported and known
• A true open‑door policy, creating comfort in raising concerns without judgment
• Competitive benefits, including 401(k), health insurance, PTO, and paid training
• Work–life flexibility and support for personal needs
• Opportunities to learn, gain independence, and master different aspects of the field
• A sense of trust, autonomy, and being recognized for quality work

Our Safety Culture in Action

The 2026 safety training program is modeled on our proven approach, integrating interactive discussions, classroom work, and hands-on practice. In post-training feedback, team members shared how they will apply learning to actions on the job: daily tailboards and DVIRs, more frequent PPE and ladder inspections, thorough pole checks and proper FVD use, heightened hazard awareness, and coaching new hires to speak up because "safety is everyone’s responsibility.”

Across both leadership and safety training sessions, a consistent theme emerged: Safety isn’t a checklist—it’s leadership in action.

Leadership means:

• Communicating clearly
• Supporting personal and professional growth
• Giving every employee the confidence to speak up
• Modeling safe behavior, every day, on every site

Safety means:

• Protecting each other
• Following processes
• Staying alert to risks
• Building habits that send everyone home safe at the end of every shift

The bottom line at Sertex is that leadership and safety are inseparable. For customers, our commitment to both is demonstrated by fewer incidents, steadier schedules, and consistent quality.

Sertex is integrating emergency medical services (EMS) safety measures into the first segment of Maine’s MOOSE Net fiber build—ensuring reliable rural connectivity without compromising the safety of flight crews, first responders, residents, and travelers.

Sertex is currently building out the first of six segments of Maine’s MOOSE Net fiber network, a project that will eventually bring affordable, reliable internet connectivity to Maine’s most rural and underserved communities. As a “middle mile” network, MOOSE Net will serve as the internet’s equivalent of an interstate highway, transmitting large volumes of data between regional networks and the broader web.

A Safety Challenge on Route 9

Construction of this first segment includes a quiet, sparsely populated 3.5-mile stretch of Route 9 that connects the towns of Cherryfield and Wesley, where 66 new utility poles are being installed to connect two previously unconnected sections of electric and cable utility service.

What began as a relatively simple aerial fiber installation has become something a bit more dramatic – an opportunity to ensure public safety and protect the lives of emergency response teams and their patients.

This relatively short, remote stretch of Route 9 includes several dangerous hairpin turns, and vehicles frequently travel at high speeds. When vehicle crashes or medical emergencies involving residents or visitors happen in this remote area, LifeFlight of Maine is often dispatched to airlift patients, as ground transport to the nearest hospital could take hours.

Until the MOOSE Net aerial build began, emergency helicopters had been able to land easily and safely at either the Great Wilderness Hunting Lodge on the west end of this segment of Route 9, or the sandpit on the east end, simply because both areas lacked the utility poles and hard-to-see overhead transmission wires that often endanger EMS flight crews. Wire strikes, including collisions with transmission lines, are a significant hazard and a leading cause of fatal medevac helicopter accidents. While not an everyday occurrence, these accidents happen often enough to be a major safety concern. With the MOOSE Net aerial construction adding cables and wires to the landscape, Maine Department of Transportation (MDOT) officials requested lifesaving safety measures.

Collaborating for Rapid, Practical Solutions

Sertex worked closely with the Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA), MDOT, Wesley Fire Department, and LifeFlight of Maine emergency services to ensure pilot and crew safety by engineering and installing aerial marker balls on overhead wires near both helicopter landing zones to improve visibility and reduce risk during emergency landings. Work is scheduled to be completed in January 2026.

While timelines may continue to evolve on the MOOSE Net buildout, overall project completion is currently projected for 2027. As this work moves forward, it reflects Sertex and MCA’s broader commitment to expanding connectivity in rural Maine without compromising the safety of those who live, work, and travel there

Sertex is proud to partner with Shrewsbury Electric Light and Cable Operations (SELCO) for town-wide fiber deployment.

Under two contracts, Sertex is delivering last‑mile fiber‑to‑the‑home (FTTH) connections and recently completed a major network upgrade (IFB14), including construction of 42 miles of aerial and underground fiber optic infrastructure across three nodes.

The SELCO fiber deployment plan has rolled out in phases, with service available in individual neighborhoods as construction is completed. As nodes are activated, SELCO notifies potential customers in the area. Those interested in service, schedule site surveys with Sertex technicians to confirm access paths, install Fiber Optic Cable drops, and schedule fiber service installations.

Every aspect of Sertex’s work, from construction to home installations, has received positive feedback from SELCO leadership and subscribers alike for excellent performance and professionalism. The network upgrade project was completed in six months, meeting all project milestones on time and on budget.

What’s Next

With the network upgrade complete, Sertex continues to support SELCO as additional neighborhoods become fiber‑ready. The focus remains consistent: efficient construction, reliable turn‑ups, and transparent communication with residents and businesses as Shrewsbury progresses toward universal fiber connectivity.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews

“I want to formally thank Sertex for the excellent work completed on IFB14. Your team was professional and great to work with. The entire project met all deadlines and expectations.” – SELCO Cable Operations Supervisor

“Your technician took the time to walk the customer through the process of the fiber survey and installation. She is not well-versed in the procedure, and he was kind and patient in making sure she understood what was being done. Thank you!” – SELCO Customer Service 

“Your technicians did an excellent job with our fiber service install. They were quick and made sure both phone and internet service were working before they left.” – SELCO Customer

“He was so kind and patient. He helped me upload all of the devices to my new password. THANK YOU for all your patience!” – SELCO Customer

“The technicians were kind, knowledgeable, and worked quickly. Thank you!” – SELCO Customer

“He was polite, on time, and completed the job in a little over 1 hour. He did a great job!” – SELCO Customer

New project will extend DVFiber to connect more rural homes and businesses in five towns by August 2026

Plainfield, CT – [January 13, 2026] — Sertex Broadband Solutions, a leading provider of fiber optic infrastructure services throughout the Northeast, has been awarded a $1.58 million contract to expand Vermont’s Deerfield Valley Communications Union District (DVFiber) fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) network across five towns in southeastern Vermont. The expansion project includes approximately 60 miles of new fiber construction in West Brattleboro, Dummerston, Marlboro, Newfane, and Guilford, Vermont.

The new contract builds on Sertex’s long-standing partnerships with DVFiber and Great Works Internet (GWI) to build the initial GPON FTTH network, which delivered high-speed internet to nearly 5,000 locations, including 4,290 previously unserved or underserved premises. The initial deployment began in May 2023 and was completed in 2025. Construction for network expansion will begin immediately, with anticipated completion in August 2026.

“We are excited to keep this project moving forward and happy to be working with Sertex for another year,” said Patrick Moreland, Executive Director of DVFiber. “Their proven performance in challenging environments has been critical to our ability to expand our network across the rural terrain of southeastern Vermont.”

Project Scope and Timeline

The expansion will roll out in three phases through August 2026:

• Phase 1: Backbone and Fiber Service Areas (FSAs) in Marlboro and Guilford (18.39 miles).
• Phase 2: Backbone and FSAs in Dummerston, including underground construction along North Pond Road (15.58 miles).
• Phase 3: FSAs in Newfane and West Brattleboro, along with backbone segments (24.10 miles).

Once completed, the expanded infrastructure will support DVFiber’s mission of providing universal, affordable, high-speed broadband access to rural and historically underserved communities.

Building on Proven Performance

The initial DVFiber network constructed by Sertex encompassed more than 300 miles of FTTH infrastructure and required specialized off-road equipment to access more than 30% of poles in remote areas. Sertex deployment services included One-Touch Make-Ready (OTMR), messenger strand installation, backbone, feeder, and distribution fiber, fiber distribution hubs, POP facilities, service terminals, and fiber splicing with EXFO-certified testing of the entire network. After expansion, the network will include 360 miles of FTTH infrastructure.

“We’re proud to continue supporting DVFiber’s vision through these new phases of construction,” said Michael Solitro, CEO and Founder of Sertex Broadband Solutions. “This award underscores the trust we’ve earned by delivering complex fiber builds in challenging environments and restoring service quickly when outages occur.”

About DVFiber

Established in 2020, DVFiber is a community-owned Communications Union District dedicated to providing universal, affordable, and reliable high-speed internet service throughout southeastern Vermont. Its mission is to support economic development, education, healthcare access, and quality of life regardless of geography or income.
Learn more at www.dvfiber.net.

 About Sertex Broadband Solutions

Sertex Broadband Solutions is a regional leader in fiber optic network deployment with more than 30 years of experience serving telecommunications, utility, and municipal customers. Recognized as an FTTH Top 100 company, Sertex specializes in building resilient digital infrastructure that connects unserved and underserved communities across challenging terrain.
Learn more at www.sertexbroadband.com.

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Dedicated Sertex Crews Restore Service After 29 Hours on the Job

On the rainy morning of October 8, 2025, a logging truck struck and snapped a utility pole along a busy roadway in Halifax, Vermont, instantly cutting internet and phone service to approximately 65 homes in one of DV Fiber’s broadband service areas.

Sertex emergency restoration crews responded immediately, arriving around 8 a.m. to find downed utility cables blocking traffic. After safely clearing the broken fiber from the roadway and reopening the road, the team waited for utility crews to remove and replace the damaged pole. Only then could restoration work begin safely.

By mid-afternoon, Sertex technicians started repairs, installing three new sections of fiber cable and performing splices at five separate locations. Teams worked continuously through the night and into the next morning to restore service.

Skilled Technicians and Specialized Equipment

At four of the splice locations, technicians completed repairs inside their service trucks’ well-lit, climate-controlled splicing labs—designed to protect delicate fiber from moisture, dust, and physical impact. The trucks’ bucket lifts allowed crews to easily hang the spliced cable back on the poles.

One splice required extra ingenuity. Located in a wooded area inaccessible by truck, the site demanded that technicians climb poles and build an improvised splice enclosure with equipment placed on a temporary work platform. Carrying all necessary tools and gear, the team worked under portable light towers in the cold and dark to splice two 144-fiber cables. Once complete, line crews climbed the poles again to hang the splice securely on the strand.

After 29 straight hours of coordinated effort, the final repairs were completed around 1 p.m. The Halifax fiber service area was fully restored—a challenging and rewarding job that showcased the skill, teamwork, and unwavering commitment of Sertex.

New agreement awarded through open bid advances a partnership launched in 2019 and accelerates fiber broadband expansion across Chicopee

PRESS RELEASE

Plainfield, CT – November 20, 2025 - Sertex Broadband Solutions, a leading provider of fiber optic infrastructure services throughout the Northeast, has been awarded a new contract by Chicopee Electric Light (CEL) to continue building its Crossroads Fiber broadband network. This marks the sixth consecutive contract awarded by the municipal utility to Sertex since 2019 through CEL’s open, competitive bidding process.

The new agreement extends the long-standing partnership between Sertex and CEL that began in 2019, when Sertex was first selected to construct the municipal fiber network. Under the new contract, Sertex will provide fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) construction and residential and business service installations, with a focus on connecting remaining customers and expanding service to multi-dwelling units (MDUs). The new one-year contract includes options for up to two additional one-year extensions.

Emergency restoration services are not part of this new contract; however, Sertex continues to provide rapid outage response under a separate existing agreement with CEL.

Since beginning work in May 2019, Sertex crews have constructed over 100 service areas, or fiberhoods, in response to customer demand. Well over 5,000 customers have been connected to high-speed fiber internet to date. Extensive main-line construction completed in 2025 will enable the activation of additional areas and accelerate new service connections.

“We are proud to continue our work with Chicopee Electric Light to expand the Crossroads Fiber network,” said Michael Solitro, Sertex Founder and CEO. “Our focus in the year ahead is on completing connections for all remaining customers, adding new subscribers, and ensuring that Chicopee residents and businesses have access to reliable, high-speed fiber broadband.”

About Sertex Broadband Solutions

Sertex is a leading provider of fiber optic infrastructure services throughout the Northeast. Specializing in Middle Mile and Last Mile network construction, Sertex partners with municipalities, utilities, and state agencies to deliver high-speed broadband solutions that bridge the digital divide. With decades of experience and a commitment to workforce development, Sertex is dedicated to connecting communities through the power of fiber optic technology.

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Construction is officially underway on one of the first segments of the Maine Online Optical Statewide Enabling Network (MOOSE Net).

Sertex crews installed underground vaults for fiber optic cable along the Rt. 9 connector in Brewer, ME, in mid-October, marking a major milestone in expanding high-speed internet access across the state.

The Rt. 9 corridor is now a hub of activity, with Sertex trucks, excavators, and skilled crews working along the roadside. The installation of underground infrastructure is a critical step toward building a resilient, high-capacity network that connects underserved communities and supports economic growth, education, healthcare, and more.

From trenching and vault placement to fiber deployment, this video offers a behind-the-scenes look at the precision and teamwork driving MOOSE Net forward.

As the project progresses, Sertex remains committed to delivering high-quality, future-proof broadband infrastructure. Stay tuned for more updates as MOOSE Net continues to expand across Maine, bringing connectivity where it’s needed most.

Connecticut is investing in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) with smarter, safer highways—and Sertex is at the forefront of the fiber optic infrastructure powering this transformation.

I-95 is a primary thoroughfare in coastal Connecticut and one of the most heavily traveled interstate freeways in the country. Along I-95 (and nearby sections of Route 7) from Fairfield to the New York state line, Sertex teams are installing 35 miles of fiber optic cable that will support a new public safety Incident Management System (IMS) in Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, Norwalk, Westport, and Fairfield.

As one of the few companies qualified and approved to work on CTDOT fiber optic systems, Sertex is proud to be part of this IMS deployment.

With dedicated, highly trained cable installation crews, we are furnishing and installing new fiber optic cable to interconnect the IMS equipment.

Cutting-edge battery-powered machines are being used for this delicate deployment. The specialized, noise-free equipment allows Sertex employees to safely and efficiently complete fiber pulls in a one-person operation.

Intelligent Transportation Technology

The smart grid IMS system is designed to help Connecticut’s Department of Transportation monitor roadway conditions and infrastructure, detect and verify incidents, and disseminate traffic and road condition information to first responders, the motoring public, and other transportation stakeholders.

Once operational, the fiber-based IMS system in Fairfield County will connect to other IMS technology throughout the state, enabling traffic flow monitors, closed-circuit television cameras, variable message signs, road weather information stations, and other devices that provide critical real-time information to enhance motorist security and safety, reduce congestion, and maximize throughput.