What is the purpose of dark fiber?

Dark fibre networks may be used for private networking, or as Internet access or Internet infrastructure networking. Dark fibre networks may be point-to-point, or use star, self-healing ring, or mesh topologies.

What is a dark fiber connection?

A Dark Fibre network is essentially unused fibre optic cables with no service or traffic running on it – an unlit Point-to-Point connection.

Who uses dark fiber?

Dark Fibre refers to unlit or ‘dark’ fibre optic cables that are leased from network service providers and carriers. Businesses use this Dark Fibre to create their own private optical network rather than leasing fixed bandwidth and enables businesses to control their own network.

What is the difference between lit and dark fiber?

While the fiber optic cables in lit fiber networks constantly have light pulses streaming through them and carrying data around, the cables in dark fiber networks don’t have any light pulses passing through them and are sitting dormant for the most part.

Who owns dark fiber?

Spectrum Enterprise
Spectrum Enterprise provides fiber Internet access for many of America’s largest businesses, delivering dedicated, high-performing connectivity with bandwidth that can scale from 25 Mbps to 10 Gbps.

Is dark fiber a telecommunications service?

It seems logical to think that leasing dark fiber is not a telecommunications service. Dark fiber is only a component of a service, not a service unto itself. It may therefore come as a surprise to know that the FCC (and the courts) has a different opinion. Dark fiber, by definition, does not transmit.

Is dark fiber regulated?

Even though dark fiber has been determined by the FCC to fall within its regulatory authority under Title II of the Communications Act, it can only be regulated if it is offered as common carriage.

Why is it called dark fiber?

Traditionally, the term refers to a dark or unused network infrastructure. In fiber optic networks, when data is being transmitted, light is passed through the cables. If no data is being transported, there are no light waves traveling along the cable, therefore the fiber is dark.