CHICAGO, IL, Dec. 5, 2022 — Network Connex, a leader in mission-critical digital communications infrastructure services, announces the purchase of Fire Fox Aerial Fiber, further expanding the company’s aerial Fiber To The Home installation (FTTH) capabilities.

Today, rural residents are demanding access to higher broadband speeds necessary for work, education, and healthcare. BroadbandNow, a publisher of independent research on broadband in America, found that over 42 million rural residents lack high-speed internet. Fortunately, FTTH can now be expanded in rural and remote regions about two and a half times faster than usual by means of above-ground fiber optic cable. With aerial FTTH, residents can get faster internet and increased bandwidth resulting in improving the local economy, advancing remote e-learning, and accelerating digital inclusion.

“The purchase of Fire Fox supports our strategic growth plans to strengthen and expand our expertise in bringing fiber to the home across the country — including the many unserved and underserved rural areas. Rolling out aerial FTTH technology is a necessity to connect these rural communities,” said Doug Wittrock, Network Connex’s Executive Vice President. “As our customers’ needs evolve, we’re constantly enhancing and deepening our capabilities to meet their critical requirements with the most reliable and scalable end-to-end solutions.”

Aerial fiber cable is an optimal solution for network operators as it can be laid using the existing overhead telephone and power poles, saving construction costs and significantly shortening the construction period. In addition, aerial fiber can carry 10 times more data than copper and transmit information 400 times further and 10 times faster.

Founded in 2014 and based in Jones, Oklahoma, Fire Fox has more than 30 years of aggregate experience in OSP fiber construction with specialization in aerial fiber installation.

About Network Connex

Network Connex brought together the expertise of Advantage Engineers, CCSI Networks, Fairhaven Integration Services, National Technologies (NTI), and VERTICOM to leverage regional strengths, operational synergies, and expand our footprint to provide best-in-class, self-performing digital communications infrastructure services throughout the U.S. and globally.

Our unique combination of industry-leading firms and world class talent creates the most robust portfolio of end-to-end services for rapid, high-quality solution design, deployment, and implementation — providing our customers with a competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving dynamic markets.

Connect with us at www.networkconnex.com.

CHICAGO, IL, August 26, 2022 – Network Connex, a leader in building and maintaining critical digital infrastructure services for some of the world’s leading wireless, fiber, data center, cloud, and cable companies, is pleased to announce that Cristy Villazan has joined the Network Connex leadership team as our new Vice President of Human Resources. Cristy will be responsible for all HR functions across each Network Connex business.

“I am very excited to have this opportunity to leverage my years of industry experience and leadership to help drive and support Network Connex and its operating companies’ thriving culture of talented people,” says Cristy Villazan.

Cristy brings over 25 years of leadership experience redefining employee relations to Network Connex through team building, operational efficiency, and a relentless focus on finding, growing, and retaining talent to drive cultural transformations.

Most recently, she served as the Vice President of Human Resources for Tradebe Environmental Services, where she directed all aspects of HR management to support US Operations. She oversaw business performance in 26 states and 900+ employees. Cristy has also successfully held leadership positions with Comcast, Spectrum, and Exelon.

“Cristy’s broad experience evaluating employment trends, enhancing talent acquisition and defining overall people strategies aligns with Network Connex’s relentless focus on being the industry leader. Great leadership starts with great people, and we are very excited to have Cristy join our executive team,” says Christopher Larocca, President, and Chief Executive Officer.

CHICAGO, IL, June 1, 2022 – A trusted leader in communications infrastructure, Network Connex (formerly NTI Connect) provides best-in-class mission-critical network design and deployment solutions for the world’s most sophisticated networking and data infrastructure companies. The growing organization has developed an exceptional portfolio of clients and projects through a series of recent expansions and is poised to establish itself as a powerhouse in its industry.

Read the story on Inside Towers

Network Connex’s market share has been steadily expanding since its beginnings in 2015 when an investment firm purchased National Technologies (NTI), a young, Chicago-based deployment service provider of fiber optics and data center infrastructure. The company grew quickly, introducing its services to national fiber and hyperscale cloud providers in several large metropolitan areas throughout the country and began to acquire smaller companies that would broaden its offerings.

Over the next five years, Network Connex acquired CCSI Networks, Fairhaven Integration Services, VERTICOM, Precision Design Services and Advantage Engineers, allowing the network of operating companies to leverage all of their dynamic services across a broad national footprint to better serve customers’ needs.

Now, as a turnkey solutions provider, Network Connex offers a robust portfolio of end-to-end services across its expansive customer-base of data center operators, hyperscale cloud companies, wireless and network service providers, utilities, cable MSOs, government entities and Fortune 500 enterprises, in the U.S. and globally. Through an “in-house” team approach with a physical presence in all major U.S. markets, Network Connex’s customers receive rapid, high-quality solution deployment and implementation enabling them to maintain a competitive advantage in fast-paced, dynamic markets.

“The diversification of our operating companies mirrors the convergence of digital infrastructure that has occurred in recent years,” said Greg Spraetz, Chief Revenue Officer of Network Connex. “Through our operating companies, we self-perform a variety of communications infrastructure services in each of the markets that we serve while planning for future market expansion down the road.”

Today, Network Connex has upwards of 1,000 employees, located in major cities across the U.S. They are implementing common systems and driving towards common processes to achieve efficiencies and create a scalable platform to support growth.

“Behind the scenes, much progress has been made integrating systems and workflow management,” said Spraetz.

And expecting an influx of funding for broadband infrastructure and an expansion in the global data center market, Network Connex is undergoing a strategic brand consolidation to position their team and exceptional services for immediate growth and expansion.

“We see value in becoming integrated into one company,” Spraetz said. “Our customers will see the efficiencies, whether that’s operational cost, speed or high-quality deliverables and training.”

Network Connex will launch its brand consolidation at the end of 2022, transitioning all of its operating companies to the umbrella brand name, with the exception of the original entity which will be known as National Technologies (NTI), a Network Connex company.

With this new brand and operational foundation in place, Network Connex customers will enjoy a sustainable competitive advantage from a reliable, optimized network infrastructure company that is positioned for rapid response and future growth – all while adhering to the highest-level safety and data security standards in the industry.

For more information about Network Connex, visit https://www.networkconnex.com/.

By J. Sharpe Smith, Inside Towers Technology Editor

CHICAGO, IL, May 12, 2022 – Network Connex is proud to announce our prominent placement by Engineering News-Record. ENR ranked Network Connex #9 within the Telecom sector. This boosts Network Connex and its operating companies up the ranks from #16 for 2021 and 2020 when our operating company Advantage Engineers received the prestigious award.

Engineering News-Record is widely considered the industry benchmark and annually ranks the 500 largest U.S.-based design firms, both publicly and privately held, based on design-specific revenue. Network Connex ranked #231 on the Top 500 Design Firm list – up 93 places from Advantage Engineers’ ranking in 2021.

About Engineering News-Record

Engineering News-Record (ENR) reports on the top design firms, both architects and engineers, and the top construction companies as well as projects in the United States and around the world. Every year, they release their Top 500 Engineering Firms and Top 20 Telecom list.

About Network Connex

Network Connex, through our operating companies, provides network design and implementation services along with a variety of engineering, design, deployment, and maintenance services in the communications infrastructure space for some of the world’s most sophisticated networking and data infrastructure companies. Email Info@NetworkConnex.com For more information.