Sertex Secures Major Contract to Expand Broadband in Maine

Plainfield, CT – June 26, 2025 – Sertex Broadband Solutions is set to undertake the construction of the Maine Online Optical Statewide Enabling Network (MOOSE Net), a comprehensive fiber optic infrastructure project. The company will handle 450 miles of the 530-mile network, which is designed to transmit large data volumes across Maine, improving connectivity for underserved rural areas. This major project supports the state’s goal to boost public benefit and infrastructure resilience, functioning as a critical ‘middle mile’ network, similar to interstate highways in the road system.

Once completed, MOOSE Net will support high-capacity fiber connections for over 11,000 homes and businesses, as well as 200 community institutions such as schools, libraries, and healthcare facilities. It will serve as a backbone for future expansion, enabling last mile providers like ISPs and data centers to deliver services to residential and commercial customers.

The project is in its engineering and permitting phase, with construction scheduled to begin this fall. The entire initiative is expected to be finished within two years, providing communities along the route with advanced broadband infrastructure.

Sertex, headquartered in Plainfield, Connecticut, won the contract through a competitive bidding process, thanks to its extensive experience in broadband infrastructure development and workforce training commitment. The selection emphasized project cost efficiency, timing, and the company’s ability to develop local skilled labor.

In 2025, Sertex plans to open a new regional office in Maine and create sustainable jobs in collaboration with local agencies, including the Maine Department of Transportation and the University of Maine System. The Maine Connectivity Authority (MCA) secured a $30 million federal grant from NTIA for this project, one of only 32 successful proposals among over 260 applications.

Maine’s MCA President, Andrew Butcher, highlighted the importance of this infrastructure for the state’s economic growth, especially given Maine’s rural and low-density population. Sertex CEO Michael Solitro expressed pride in leading such a critical project, emphasizing their successful track record in similar networks since 2009.

Shawn Harmon, Vice President of Sertex, a Maine native, will oversee the project operations, bringing expertise in remote and challenging terrain infrastructure development. He expressed enthusiasm about contributing directly to Maine’s underserved communities and the company’s commitment to local employment.

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