FirstLight Somerville

FirstLight provides fiber optic data, Internet, data center, cloud, voice services and Advanced Technologies to enterprise & carrier customers in the Northeast.

Quick Facts:

• Founded in 1999
• Fiber Miles: ~415,000
• Lit Locations: ~4,400 on-net and ~27,000 within close proximity
• Exclusively owns and operates a fiber optic network and operates 10 data center/colocation facilities with 120,000 square feet

FirstLight History

1999

Tech Valley Communications (TVC) is founded to provide high quality, fiber-based communications services to customers throughout the Capital Region.

2000

TVC acquired GFC Communications. This transaction enhanced our suite of voice services and added a number of colleges and universities to our customer roster.

2002

TVC merges with Mid-Hudson Communications. This transaction provided additional fiber network throughout New York’s Capital region and the transaction enhanced our switching infrastructure.

2010

Riverside Partners acquired TVC, which provided TVC the necessary resources and support required to propel the organization’s growth.

2011

Tech Valley Communications acquired segTEL. This transaction added a fiber network in New Hampshire, Maine and into Vermont as well as a wholesale customer base.

2013

TVC acquired Vermont-based TelJet’s assets. This transaction added a dense fiber footprint throughout Vermont, a colocation facility in Burlington, VT, connectivity to New York City, Boston and an international presence in Montreal. The company becomes FirstLight Fiber.

2014

FirstLight acquired New Hampshire-based G4 Communications’ assets. This transaction added an impressive roster of customers and a colocation facility in Manchester, NH.

2016

FirstLight expands its fiber network into New York, adding more than 35,000 fiber miles in Westchester, Orange and Rockland counties. Also in 2016, FirstLight was acquired by Oak Hill Capital Partners. This acquisition will further accelerate Company’s growth. Oak Hill subsequently announces its intention to acquire Oxford Networks and Sovernet Communications. Upon the closing of both these transactions, they will be combined with FirstLight.

2017

FirstLight successfully combined operations with Oxford Networks and Sovernet Communications, and Oxford, Sovernet and ION Communications are now consolidated under the FirstLight brand. FirstLight also acquired Finger Lakes Technologies Group (“FLTG”), a subsidiary of Trumansburg Telephone Company (TTC) operating in New York and Pennsylvania; and 186 Communications, a high-capacity fiber network provider operating in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont. The FirstLight network grew considerably, expanding to connecting nearly 8,000 locations in service with more than 25,000 locations serviceable by its 14,000 route mile network.

2018

In July 2018, FirstLight became a portfolio company of Antin Infrastructure Partners.

2019

Acquired Maine Fiber Company for an undisclosed sum.