South Bay Fiber Network
The South Bay Fiber Network
The South Bay Fiber Network (SBFN) is an award-winning, fiber-optic network developed by the South Bay Cities Council of Governments (SBCCOG). It provides the critical infrastructure to enable high-speed, low-cost internet connectivity for South Bay cities to boldly step into the world of “smart city” applications.
The SBFN was made possible through a 15-city municipal partnership forged by the SBCCOG. Its broadband infrastructure provides an essential public asset and resource to city governments, which creates opportunities to bridge the “digital divide” in communities underserved with broadband. It also lays the groundwork to eventually extend a low-cost comprehensive network to residents and businesses throughout the Southwest Los Angeles region.
A Fiber Optic Ring for Municipal and Public Agencies
The network’s completed Phase 1 is a middle mile, fiber-optic ring. Subscriptions provide 1 Gigabyte (GB) service to the 15 South Bay cities. Lateral service connects various municipal buildings and public agency sites to the network. Its initial phase also provides broadband service to public agencies, including Beach Cities Health District, Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation, seven South Bay Work Force Investment Board offices, Metro, South Bay Regional Public Communications Authority, and the L.A. County Department of Public Works. Through the fiber ring, agencies on the network have resilient access to the web through connections to two different world-class data centers in El Segundo and Hawthorne. Full bi-directional service began in August 2020. To date, more than 40 different circuits are operational on the SBFN.
How the South Bay Fiber Network Operates
Through a competitive bid process, in 2019 the SBCCOG awarded a contract to American Dark Fiber, (ADF) to create the network. Implementation of the SBFN included a combination of leased dark fiber, as well as constructing new fiber to logically bridge network gaps. HP Communications and Race Communications completed the physical construction of the network. It continues to serve as the internet service provider for the SBFN. Current service levels are 1, 2 and 10 GB, with capacity to scale up to and beyond 100 GB in the future.
