Dark fiber is the name given to fiber optic cables which have been laid in the ground but have yet to be used, or "lit". There are several key characteristics that determine the equipment required to deliver service over the fiber. It is important to understand these characteristics to see how dark fiber can save you money.

…hardware, software, maintenance, and management costs—a far cry from what most enterprises hope to achieve with their networks. Solution Dark fiber private networks are becoming the preferred choice to satisfy capacity and cost demands. These networks transport real-time application data with…

…and services, has deployed the CN 4200® FlexSelect® Advanced Services Platform to provide high-performance, low-latency connectivity over dark fiber between its existing data center in downtown Indianapolis and its new 460,000-square foot state-of-the-art data center facility twelve miles outside…

…of the fiber infrastructure that is already in the ground. Luckily, many service providers do their due diligence and plan ahead, laying down more fiber along a path than they need at the given time.  Having this "dark fiber" already in the ground allows them to simply light new fiber paths as…

…experience in fiber backhaul connectivity and was one of the first fiber providers to work closely with wireless carriers to connect towers and Mobile Switching Centers with fiber. With more than 10,000 fiber miles contracted by wireless carriers, we offer a vast array of light and dark connectivity options…

…;FiberLocator™: Offered through Ciena’s partner program, helps customers locate dark fiber and optimize network connectivity using one of the largest independent databases consisting of 50 unique dark fiber providers and covering more than 100 metro areas in the U.S. • Network Management…

Ciena's Ward Cunningham outlines a successful teaming model for Dark Fiber and Storage Partners

Latency reduction is no longer confined to the data center; it now has everything to do with the miles of conduit carrying fiber optic cables. Dedicated fiber optic lines and DWDM implementations are critical for financial services-focused connectivity firms and optical networking equipment providers. The solution a firm chooses forms the foundation for its entire trading infrastructure. Trading will continue to grow globally-only those with a deep understanding of how their data moves around the world will remain competitive.

…great for carriers, but add latency you don’t need.  So now you are down to the raw dark fiber itself, and you need to select a network that has the right geographic routing, the fastest fiber, optimal placement of optical amplification and regeneration facilities, and minimum excess slack…

…providers such as MCI to gain a significant bandwidth boost from their installed infrastructure thus delaying capital investments in equipping new dark fibers and, at the same time, permitting the deployment of new, bandwidth intensive services.” MCI’s recently announced ULH network buildout…