The Northeast can be a challenging place to do business, with unpredictable weather, high operating costs and tight competition. To succeed, organizations must have access to optimized and resilient networks and communications services. For more than 25 years, FirstLight has been a trusted partner for both local and national firms operating throughout the region with a diverse and growing portfolio that includes voice, data center, cloud and security solutions. In this article, we’ll explore FirstLight’s latest developments and offerings. A Growing Network FirstLight’s high-speed fiber network spans approximately 25,000 route miles across six states including Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont, with cross-border connectivity into Montreal. The network is continuously growing and improving each year. Most recently, FirstLight added several hundred miles of fiber in New England, New York and Pennsylvania, bringing connectivity to more than 6,600 new locations. Altogether, the company serves more than 15,000 on-net locations and more than 125,000 addressable locations. FirstLight’s state-of-the-art data center and colocation facilities form the backbone of its cloud computing (IaaS), backup solutions (BRaaS) and disaster recovery services (DRaaS). The regional IP network is engineered specifically for speed and resilience, leveraging redundant equipment, power supplies and connectivity to withstand power outages and severe weather. “Our regional network is based on a ring architecture, with each region capable of operating independently,” explained Cheryl Carney, vice president of channel and enterprise sales. “FirstLight also operates two separate meshed core networks, eliminating single points of failure. And with multiple peering points for added redundancy, we go above and beyond to provide the peace of mind that customers look for in a provider.” Recent Updates in Cloud-based UC FirstLight was an early pioneer of unified communications, with the company among the first providers to offer a hosted phone solution. The platform has evolved to deliver crystalclear call quality and enhanced features. In the first quarter of 2025, FirstLight added direct voice integration with Microsoft Teams. Shortly thereafter, the company launched the next evolution of its UC platform, featuring advanced API integrations, new end-user and admin portals and bestin-class hardware and mobile clients. Additionally, FirstLight was recently awarded a ChannelVision Visionary Spotlight Award for its innovation in UC solutions. Protecting Local Businesses As businesses across the region accelerate digital transformation and AI adoption, the need for robust cybersecurity has never been more urgent. In parallel with its expanding network and UC innovations, FirstLight continues to develop a powerful cybersecurity portfolio to help businesses stay protected and compliant with local regulations including the New Hampshire Data Privacy Act and New York’s SHIELD Act. Customers and partners can choose from a range of services including SD-WAN, secure internet gateway (SIG), DNS protection and enterprise firewalls. FirstLight also offers DDoS protection, network and application monitoring and backup and disaster recovery solutions, including backup for Office 365 and Salesforce. “Cybersecurity is rapidly evolving, making it challenging for business leaders to stay on top of the latest trends and solutions,” Carney said. “Our security experts can help select, implement and manage the right security solutions and reduce the burden on internal teams.” FirstLight’s security offerings are designed to be flexible and fill gaps where they may exist. The company can provide a variety of monitoring solutions or act as a trusted sourcing partner. “Our goal is to make it seamless to implement the services that customers require,” Carney added. Channel Overview FirstLight’s channel program was built for agents, VARs and systems integrators, offering tools and resources to support success at every stage. Partners have access to special promotions, competitive SPIFs and a dedicated team of experts to help design, implement and manage solutions that align each customer’s unique needs. “We offer a competitive, flexible channel program that provides exclusive benefits including agent relationships, white-label options and referral compensation,” Carney said. “If you’re looking for a digital infrastructure partner in the Northeast, FirstLight is a powerful resource.” o FirstLight is currently offering a special incentive for partners to earn up to 5X on new MRC for select products including hosted voice, Microsoft Teams calling, and DNS content filtering. This offer is valid for qualifying sales made by June 30, 2025. To learn more, contact Jfazio@firstlight.net. Cheryl Carney, FirstLight VP of channel and enterprise sales Confidence in Every Connection With a network spanning the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, FirstLight is a key resource for regional connectivity, cloud computing and so much more By Gerald Baldino 42 CHANNELVISION | MAY - JUNE 2025 MAY – JUNE
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTg4Njc=