The companies will own 90 percent of the venture, America's Fiber Network. FirstEnergy, another utility owner, will hold the rest with CFW Communications and R&B Communications.
The venture will link small communities to cities that have high-speed Internet access and other telecom services. Its network will stretch more than 7,000 miles, from New York City to Chicago, and from Rochester, New York, to Johnson City, Tennessee.
"Businesses and residents in these markets have the same need for data exchange and information access as those in major markets," Pete Thomas, vice president of AEP's communications unit, said in a statement.
Thomas will serve as interim president until a management team is in place. The venture will provide space on its network to Internet service providers, local and long-distance telephone carriers, and wireless communications companies.
AFN wants to expand the network to more than 10,000 miles this year, mostly by adding new partners.
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