With the goal of bringing affordable, high-speed Internet access to western Massachusetts and connecting the region to the rest of the state’s digital economy, MassBroadband 123 plans to link almost 1,400 community anchor institutions through a new middle mile fiber network. By constructing over 1,300 miles of new fiber in areas such as the Pioneer Valley and mountainous Appalachian regions where connection costs are frequently two or three times as high as in the eastern part of the state, this project intends to provide1.5 Mbps-10 Gbps high speed service to public safety entities, K-12 schools and community colleges, local and state government facilities, and dozens of healthcare providers in economically distressed areas across western Massachusetts.