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Skip Navigation LinksHome > Electric > Fiber Optics

Fiber Optics

CWLP’s Ethernet network runs on over 270 miles of fiber optic cable and is remotely monitored from the utility’s network management center. The network provides multiple paths across the fiber backbone and is designed to provide a high level of redundancy and a high level of system reliability. CWLP holds a Certificate of Authority from the Illinois Commerce Commission, allowing it to serve as a telecommunications provider.


Commercial Access Read More   

CWLP provides telecommunications and fiber optics services to approximately 70 area entities—including schools, medical facilities, banks, insurance companies, county offices, and car dealerships. The most common use of the telecommunications service provided by CWLP is the linking of remote facilities, enabling customers to connect their local area networks (LANs) to create wide-area networks (WANs) with little or no degradation in data delivery speed.

In 2020 CWLP upgraded its WAN to 40GB speed. This allows the utility to offer connections up to 10Gbps to those customers that require extremely high bandwidth.

While CWLP’s current network is primarily used for voice, data and other utility-specific functions, the system is capable of providing a multitude of additional services.

The bandwidth CWLP offers can provide commercial and industrial customers the following capabilities:

  • high-speed data transfer
  • e-commerce
  • distance learning and interactive education
  • library access
  • tele-medicine
  • security
  • video incarceration
  • high-speed communications with speeds up to 10Gbps (upload and download)

CWLP also leases dark fiber (fiber that is lit by the customers’ equipment). This enables customers to have up to 100GB connections between their facilities, multiple multi-gig connections on the same pair of fiber and a wide variety of other services. With CWLP dark fiber, the customer is only limited by the hardware they choose.

To find out more about commercial access to CWLP’s Fiber Optics and Telecommunications Services call 217.757.8520 Ext. 2129 or e-mail fiberinfo@cwlp.com.

CWLP is not an Internet Service Provider with the ability to provide internet connectivity.

Building The Network Read More   

In 1993, CWLP began installing fiber to meet its internal needs for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), load control and other current and future utility functions on a synchronous optical network (SONET) system. By 1996, CWLP was utilizing the fiber network for data and voice communications between its major facilities.

In 1997, an agreement between CWLP and Springfield School District 186 led to the installation of fiber, providing 10MB Wide Area Network (WAN) service to 21 District 186 facilities. By late 1998, the School District’s need for increased bandwidths coincided with CWLP’s own growing need for higher-speed WAN connections. With the assistance of a federal grant obtained by District 186, CWLP was, in early 2000, able to install an Ethernet network that provides communication speeds in excess of 1 billion bits per second.

The network as built far surpassed the requirements of both CWLP and District 186 as less than 5% of the system’s total capacity was being used. The excess capabilities of the network offered great potential to CWLP and the City of Springfield to join the list of companies allowed to provide WAN and related bandwidth services on a commercial basis. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allowed electric utilities to participate in offering these services.

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