AAMFON

In the fall of 2000, the City of Appleton, Appleton Area School District, Town of Grand Chute, Outagamie County and Fox Valley Technical College became partners in a technology project that would provide a new fiber optic network for the community.

Together they created AAMFON (Appleton Area Metropolitan Fiber Optic Network).

AAMFON is a $2.5 million, 40 mile network. Nearly a third of the fiber or 14 miles of it was buried underground. The new system provides enhanced telephone and computer communications for the five entities involved.

The fiber optic cable holds more than 10,000 times the bandwidth of high capacity, leased, phone lines.

AAMFON collectively hosts a total of 49 sites:

24 Appleton Area School District

18 City of Appleton

3 Outagamie County

2 Fox Valley Technical College

2 Grand Chute

Enough fiber was installed to provide growth above and beyond the initial plan.

Michels Pipeline of Black Creek was the contractor for the installation of both the aerial and underground fiber. Michels, has gained an excellent reputation as a specialty underground utility contractor with over 40 years of experience in both large and small projects.