United Fiber & Data Deploys EKINOPS 600G FlexRate^™ Solution

While most service providers follow a similar path along major interstate highways, UFD’s fiber network is geographically diverse providing an alternate path between major carrier hotels and data centers for enhanced reliability and service assurance.

Increasing customer demand for high bandwidth lit services led UFD to select the EKINOPS 360 optical transport solution for use in its New York City metro network as well as in its diversely built long-haul fiber backbone connecting New York City with Ashburn, Virginia. Specifically, UFD is using the EKINOPS PM 600FRS06 600G FlexRate™ solution to address both applications due to its multi-reach capability from access to ultra-long haul as well as its multi-rate service support. UFD is initially deploying the PM 600FRS06 for both 10G and 100G service delivery in its New York City metro network with 100G connectivity on its backbone between New York City and Northern, Virginia. As demand increases, UFD will be able to add capacity on any portion of the network as needed through the management interface without having to replace hardware or interrupt existing services. 

Selecting EKINOPS remotely configurable FlexRate™ solution means that UFD is not only able to keep its sparing costs at a minimum by standardizing on a single service module, it will also be able to reduce the number of truck rolls needed when service changes are made leading to an overall reduction in its operational expenses as it rolls out its new service offerings.

“What we were looking for was a solution that could be easily deployed to provide our customers greater flexibility, enhanced capacity and high bit rate capabilities to effectively meet their growing business development and communications needs without compromising their budget,” said Christopher Lodge, chief operating officer for UFD. “We’re pleased to provide the capability to access and deliver fully managed, point-to-point optical wavelength services over our geographically diverse fiber optic network using state-of-the-art Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) network technology with up to 600G wavelength capabilities in the future.”

“EKINOPS is pleased to be working with UFD to help them not just transition their network, but also expand their business model,” said Kevin Antill, Ekinops’ group vice president of sales for North America. “Offering lit services in a competitive market requires the ability to add capacity efficiently and cost effectively, and that’s what the total solution of the EKINOPS 600G FlexRate™ hardware and Celestis NMS software provides.”

About United Fiber & Data, LLC

United Fiber & Data is a privately held telecommunications company focused on providing high-capacity, low latency, geographically diverse fiber optic network solutions in the northeastern United States. UFD provides high-capacity pathway diversity and data storage redundancy far from the congestion and single points of failure associated with the I-95 corridor. UFD’s diverse dark fiber network includes a wholly owned and operated high fiber count metro network including over 70 miles of laterals with over 330 buildings on net in New York City and a newly constructed long-haul fiber route of more than 400 miles connecting New York City and Ashburn, Virginia.