Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana Certified as AT and T Fiber Ready

Certification Reflects Presence of Fiber-Based, High-Speed Internet; New Tenants Will Receive Three Years of Connectivity at No Cost from Purdue Technology Center

The center is the third facility within the Purdue Research Park network to receive this designation; the Purdue Research Park of Southeast Indiana and the Purdue Research Park of Indianapolis are also AT&T Fiber Ready locations. As part of this announcement, Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana will provide high-speed connectivity for the first three years or the term of a lease to an internet provider of the client's choice at no cost.

“We’re investing in high-speed internet in urban and rural areas across Indiana using the latest wired and wireless technologies, and we are proud to highlight the Purdue Technology Center as one of many places in the Hoosier state where AT&T’s fiber infrastructure is in place and ready to help local businesses drive job creation,” said AT&T Indiana President Bill Soards.

“Positive, pro-business policies embraced by Indiana’s state and local elected officials continue to make our state a great place to invest,” Soards added.  “And, I’d like to point out that our AT&T Indiana employees continue to work tirelessly to deploy this fiber and other infrastructure that delivers high-speed internet access. Their dedication, combined with nearly $2 billion invested by AT&T in Indiana over the last 3 years alone, enables Hoosiers to connect and innovate.”

In today’s world, connectivity is vital to new employers and businesses of every type. There’s no such thing as a “low-tech” business today, so economic development leaders must be able to tout the presence of high-speed internet connectivity.

The Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana is home to 25 on-site companies and an additional 30 co-space businesses.

“We recognize the importance of a strong technology infrastructure for startups and well-established organizations that are based in or planning to locate in Merrillville," said Purdue Research Foundation President and Chief Entrepreneurial Officer Dan Hasler. "Becoming officially certified and adding AT&T to our list of fiber connectivity options will make the site even more attractive to potential prospects looking for a top-level location to create and grow their businesses.” 

“You can’t understate the importance of having a strong technology infrastructure in place, when it comes to growing our economy,” said Merrillville Town Council Member Shawn Pettit.  “I appreciate that AT&T is helping us shine the spotlight on the availability of this high-speed communications service. I’m excited for both the community and the center.”

“Indiana is fortunate to have a number of tools, including the Broadband Ready Communities Development Center and the Indiana Site Certified program, that provide a distinct advantage for the Hoosier state when it comes to attracting new business and jobs to the state,” said Indiana Economic Development Corporation President Jim Schellinger.  “High-speed internet is critically important to economic development, and we applaud AT&T for adding yet another means of highlighting why Indiana is a great place to do business.”

“Northwest Indiana is a welcoming region, in particular Lake Co. and the Town of Merrillville. This location is ideal for technology-focused operations as well as mission critical facilities and with access to workforce and several universities and colleges including one onsite, new companies can locate and existing companies can grow with confidence,” said Lake County Indiana Economic Alliance President & CEO Karen Laurerman. “This AT&T fiber-ready designation helps us make the most of opportunities to bring jobs and investment to Lake Co.” 

To learn more about the Purdue Technology Center of Northwest Indiana, please visit https://www.prf.org/researchpark/locations/northwest/index.html, and to learn more about the Purdue Research Park network, visit https://www.prf.org/researchpark/.  For more information on the Lake County Indiana Economic Alliance, please go to http://lcea.us/.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc. 

About AT&T

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*Global coverage claim based on offering discounted voice and data roaming; LTE roaming; voice roaming; and world-capable smartphone and tablets in more countries than any other U.S. based carrier. International service required. Coverage not available in all areas. Coverage may vary per country and be limited/restricted in some countries. 

For more information, contact:           

Tina Noel, AT&T Indiana Public Affairs, 317.777-0559, tina.noel@att.com

Cynthia Sequin, Purdue Research Foundation, 765.588.3340, casequin@prf.org