Five Questions With: Phil Olivero

Phil Olivero is chief technology officer for Lightower Fiber Networks.
Phil Olivero is chief technology officer for Lightower Fiber Networks.

Phil Olivero, chief technology officer for Lightower Fiber Networks, talks with Providence Business News about the company’s mission, its work in Rhode Island and plans going forward. Based in Boxborough, Mass., the company also has a colocation/data facility in Providence.

PBN: Tell me about Lightower and what services the company provides.
OLIVERO:
Lightower builds, owns and operates an all-fiber network throughout 17 states in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and Midwest regions of the U.S. Over our network, Lightower delivers high performance, all-fiber networking solutions that are diverse, flexible and scalable up to 100 Gbps. From wavelengths, video transport and dark fiber to ethernet, internet access and private networks, we deliver the connectivity services that meet the needs of businesses today and into the future.

PBN: Are you still a vendor for the state of Rhode Island’s data network services? How many clients do you have in Rhode Island?
OLIVERO:
Yes, Lightower is still a vendor for the state of Rhode Island, and we work closely with a number of state agencies including the R.I. Department of Education. In 2012, Lightower undertook a major network expansion throughout Rhode Island which serves as the backbone of our network there today. We continue to invest in the state, building new network and bringing Lightower’s all-fiber networking to more Rhode Island businesses, educational institutions, and state and local governments. We serve over 50 customers around the state in markets such as Providence, East Providence, Woonsocket, Smithfield, Cumberland, Pawtucket, Seekonk, Cranston, Warwick, West Warwick and Coventry.
PBN: How many employees and locations do you have?

OLIVERO: Lightower currently has 10 offices throughout our footprint including New York City; Boston; Chicago; Herndon, Va.; Rochester, N.Y., and our headquarters in Boxborough. We also operate colocation/data center facilities in an additional 11 locations including 235 Promenade St. in Providence. The company is rapidly approaching 1,000 employees. Lightower is growing very rapidly – an example being in 2015 we merged with Fibertech Networks, a deal that nearly doubled the network coverage of the company.
PBN: How is the company able to be successful in such a competitive industry?
OLIVERO:
Lightower’s competitive advantage comes from our customer-first approach as well as our dense fiber networks. Lightower offers a unique, customer-focused sales, delivery and post-sale support process which includes custom designing a solution to the specific requirements of the customer, such as incorporating diversity needs, redundancy needs or latency management – and even building new network when necessary. The density of our fiber network in our various markets allows us to more economically serve and build to more locations than other providers.
PBN: Tell me about a recent company initiative or project that you would like to highlight.
OLIVERO:
We recently published a press release and case study highlighting Lightower’s customer-focused approach and how it was used to develop a network solution for the Delaware Electric Cooperative. DEC had a very unique set of requirements for a high performance network that would connect [its] 28 various facilities and equipment locations throughout the state. Lightower was able to work extensively with DEC to custom design a 250-mile network that met all of their needs, and as part of the project Lightower will be constructing 180 miles of new fiber network throughout the state. Not only will this project serve the needs of DEC, but it will also bring the benefits of all-fiber networking to areas of Delaware where it is not currently available.

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