The Chamber, Project Future and local government have teamed up to assess the region’s technology infrastructure to ensure continued competitiveness for area businesses and the community.

Part of this assessment lead to the creation of the St. Joe Valley Metronet. The Metronet is a state-of-the-art telecommunications infrastructure consisting of a 40-mile network of fiber-optic cable initially running throughout South Bend, creating a high-speed data network with virtually unlimited bandwidth. When connected to it, businesses, schools, health care facilities and other entities can transmit data faster and easier than ever before while enjoying greater operational flexibility, cost savings and security.

From a technology standpoint, the Metronet puts South Bend on a level playing field with Chicago, St. Louis and other large cities, especially since the options and type of Internet connectivity it offers is not available in mid-sized communities. Its high-speed connectivity and access to transcontinental fiber linking it to the rest of the country makes the region an ideal location for such high-tech business entities as data backup and disaster recovery operations, data and call centers, conference centers and research facilities.

For more information, visit the St. Joe Valley Metronet Web site at www.stjoevalleymetronet.org.