News
A dark fiber provider has activated the first privately-owned and carrier-neutral fiber network to span the Hudson River in two decades.
By: Brad Randall, Broadband Communities
Global InterXchange (GIX) is celebrating what the company calls a “historic leap in cross-Hudson (River) connectivity” following the completion of a new dark fiber network that runs from Lower Manhattan to New Jersey.
The firm, which has a public-private partnership with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, announced the news as marking the first time in two decades that such a network has spanned the Hudson River.
The completed network connects an integration hub on Hudson Street in New York with a data center known as 165 Hasley Street, in Newark, according to a July 9 release from GIX.
Joe Falco, the president of GIX, said the route sets a new standard of connectivity across the Hudson River. His comments were provided to the media with GIX’s release.
According to Falco, the route “delivers reliable, high-speed connectivity that empowers local businesses, communities and global companies through enhanced infrastructure, fostering growth and innovation.”
The network includes two unique routes through Lower Manhattan to increase redundancy, according to GIX’s release.
To cross the Hudson River, network builders utilized a Port Authority Trans-Hudson (PATH) rail tunnel underneath the river.
PATH Project Manager Paul Lombardi said the network will help meet demand for transport of data in increased volumes.
“This work ensures we can support the modernization of critical infrastructure to support current and future digital requirements and attract cutting-edge businesses,” he said.
In total, the network includes 1.4 miles of cable, featuring Corning SMF-28 Ultra glass, and over 8,000 feet of fiber that runs through Jersey City, Kearny, and Newark.
According to the announcement from GIX, the company plans further expansion into additional tunnels operated by the Port Authority.
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