Troy Lupe, chief network officer at Zayo told RCR that the recently announced expanded strategic supply agreement with Corning secures a significant portion of the fiber optic cable it expects to need through the remainder of the decade
In sum – what to know
Fiber constraint grows – Zayo expects pressure on fiber supply to build over the next two years as demand comes from broadband, data centers and AI.
Supply secured early – An expanded Corning agreement secures a significant portion of the fiber optic cable Zayo expects to need through the remainder of the decade.
15,000-mile expansion – Zayo plans to add 15,000 new route miles by 2030, including more than 8,000 miles of new long-haul fiber in collaboration with Nvidia.
Fiber supply is becoming a more meaningful constraint on AI infrastructure deployments, with pressure expected to build over the next two years, according to Troy Lupe, chief network officer at Zayo. “It’s becoming a more meaningful constraint, and I expect that pressure to build over the next two years,” Lupe told RCR Wireless News.
Lupe said demand is building from several directions at once, including broadband expansion, accelerating data-center construction, and AI, which is driving higher fiber requirements both inside and between facilities. “That combination is increasing the importance of planning manufacturing capacity and supply well in advance,” the executive said.
Against that backdrop, Zayo announced an expanded strategic supply agreement with Corning that secures a significant portion of the fiber optic cable it expects to need through the remainder of the decade. The company said the agreement provides supply assurance as it executes one of the largest network expansions in its history.
Lupe said the agreement is intended to reduce a key execution risk as Zayo expands its long-haul network. “That is why our partnership with Corning matters. By planning together and securing the fiber capacity we expect to need through the end of the decade, we materially reduce one of the key execution risks in our long-haul expansion,” Lupe said.
Zayo plans to add 15,000 new route miles by 2030, including more than 8,000 miles of new long-haul fiber in collaboration with Nvidia, while also adding capacity across existing corridors where AI infrastructure is concentrating.
The company said securing optical cable earlier in the planning cycle is intended to help turn those plans into operating infrastructure without allowing material availability to dictate where or when the network can be built.
According to Lupe, manufacturing and network construction need to move in step as Zayo executes the expansion. “Our expansion plans require manufacturing and network construction to move in step. The strategic supply agreement with Corning secures a significant portion of the fiber optic cable we expect to need through the remainder of the decade, giving us greater certainty as we execute our 15,000-route-mile expansion.”
Lupe also highlighted the long planning cycle involved in long-haul network construction. “These networks take years to design and build, so we want the physical inputs aligned with the build plan well before construction begins.”
Meanwhile, Zayo chief executive officer Steve Smith said the company is putting physical inputs in place as AI changes where and how quickly network capacity needs to be built. “AI infrastructure is changing where and how quickly network capacity needs to be built, We understand where demand is moving, and we’re putting the physical inputs in place now to build ahead of it. Deepening our relationship with Corning gives us greater confidence that material availability won’t stand between customer demand and the infrastructure required to deliver it.”
The Zayo network spans 32 million fiber miles and 224,000 route miles across North America and connects more than 400 markets globally.
