INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cabling

Agreement reserves 10 % of Corning ’ s global fiber capacity for each of the next two years to interconnect AI-enabled data centers – more than doubling Lumen ’ s intercity network and boosting AI capabilities .

This fiber-dense cable will more than double Lumen ’ s US intercity fiber miles , offering significant capacity to major cloud data centers racing to stay ahead of AI workloads and high bandwidth applications fueled by massive amounts of data .

The rapid advancement of Gen-AI requires at least 10 times more fiber connections within data centers , as well as a robust fiber network to transmit information between these data hubs . With this agreement , Lumen reserves 10 % of Corning ’ s global fiber capacity for each of the next two years .

The agreement , Lumen ’ s largest cable purchase , will equip Lumen to meet the network infrastructure needs of major data center operators for years to come , including Microsoft , which recently announced that it ’ s investing with Lumen to support the rising demand on its data centers .

“ Lumen is the network that delivers AI . The rise of AI is driving technology companies to quickly secure fiber and bandwidth before their competition ,” said Kate Johnson , President and CEO , Lumen Technologies .

“ With Corning ’ s innovative solutions , we ’ re building the backbone of the AI economy . This partnership gives Lumen status as a preferred partner and secures a significant supply of next-generation fiber today and in the future .”

Lumen has the largest ultra-low-loss intercity fiber network in North America . Its US intercity network includes diverse routes to more than 50 major cities across the country .

Lumen distinguishes its network from others in the industry by continuously upgrading its infrastructure using a multi-conduit system , allowing for the quick deployment of the latest fiber technology .

“ As Gen-AI increases bandwidth requirements between data centers , we ’ re pleased to reach an agreement with Lumen Technologies to provide our latest optical fiber and cable innovations to facilitate Lumen ’ s build of a new network to interconnect AI-enabled data centers ,” said Wendell P . Weeks , Chairman and CEO , Corning Incorporated .

“ This marks the first outside-plant deployment of Corning ’ s new Gen- AI fiber and cable system , which will enable Lumen to fit anywhere from two-to-four times the amount of fiber into their existing conduit .”

To properly power AI with capacity , performance , stability and speed , Lumen is creating a digital platform on top of its physical network allowing cloud-like consumption of network services . Lumen ’ s Private Connectivity Fabric is a custom network that includes dedicated access to existing fiber in the Lumen network , the installation of new fiber on existing and new routes , and access to Lumen ’ s digital services . p

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