United States North America

Bridged Broadband bridges digital divide with Nokia's IP and optical solutions

About Bridged Broadband

Bridged Broadband is a next-generation network provider based in Kansas City, Mo. delivering high-capacity, diverse fiber infrastructure across the Midwest. With a focus on bridging underserved and rural markets, Bridged Broadband deploys state-of-the-art transport and IP networking to enable scalable, resilient and cost-effective connectivity for service providers, enterprises, and public-sector organizations.

Challenge

Bridged Broadband aimed to address the digital divide in rural Missouri by establishing a scalable, carrier-class backbone to connect rural broadband providers, wholesale carriers, and enterprises to major data centers and internet exchanges. This initiative required a robust, future-ready network capable of supporting rapid traffic growth and emerging bandwidth-intensive applications.

“Our vision is to bridge the gap between rural networks and the advanced digital infrastructure typically found only in major metro markets," "By building a highly scalable, carrier-grade backbone, we’re empowering our members and customers with the reliability, diversity and future-ready capacity they need to deliver innovative services to their communities.”

Michael Brigman

President & CEO of Bridged Broadband

Solution

Bridged Broadband selected Nokia's advanced IP and optical solution, featuring an 800G service-level ready architecture. This deployment includes Nokia's transport-optimized coherent routing capabilities, managed through Nokia's Network Services Platform (NSP) and WaveSuite. This integrated approach provides a unified management environment, streamlining operations across both optical and routing domains.

Results

The new network spans approximately 2,500 route miles and initially includes 47 points of presence (PoPs) across Missouri, extending connectivity to Kansas City. Key outcomes include:

Enhanced Connectivity: Delivery of high-performance, diverse, and high-capacity routes, extending Tier-1 network capabilities into historically underserved regions.
Future-Ready Infrastructure: The 800G service-level ready architecture supports rapid traffic growth, edge data center AI-connectivity, and emerging bandwidth-intensive applications.
Operational Efficiency: Unified management through NSP and WaveSuite streamlines operations, improving efficiency as the network expands.
Economic Development: The initiative strengthens economic development and accelerates digital transformation in rural communities by providing reliable, diverse, and future-ready capacity.

This partnership underscores Nokia's commitment to enabling advanced connectivity and digital transformation in all communities, fostering economic growth and innovation.

“By combining high-capacity optical and IP technology with intelligent automation, Bridged Broadband is building a flexible foundation that can evolve with customer demand while delivering reliable connectivity to communities that need it most.”

Tim Mahoney

VP of Sales at Nokia