Lumos Networks plans 100G connectivity for Richmond metro markets

Lumos Networks Corp. (NASDAQ:LMOS), a fiber-optic network service provider, says it plans to build 100G wavelength routes connecting Richmond to Ashburn and Lynchburg in Virginia. The operator says its network will be ready to handle the growth in bandwidth and address the need for lower latency and route diversity demanded by carrier customers and by enterprises from the healthcare, education, financial, and other industry sectors.

The new fiber cable network will support a full suite of Ethernet, IP, and wavelength services to business parks, data centers, and carrier points of presence via a 92-mile metro ring connecting Richmond to key destinations in the operator’s existing markets.

“With the vibrant growth and innovation coming out of Richmond, we view it as a significant emerging technology hub,” said Lumos Networks CEO Timothy G. Biltz. “Companies are increasingly reliant on big data stored in the cloud, so they need increasingly higher bandwidth to access this data in real time as well as over diverse routes to account for business continuity. Lumos Networks’ next-generation infrastructure will allow Richmond to respond to these needs.”

Lumos says the increase in network speeds will be of great benefit to the educational, governmental, healthcare, and research sectors throughout the Greater Richmond region. To illustrate the power of a 100-Gbps network, all Virginia students in K-12 schools could simultaneously download an e-book in under three minutes, smartphone data could be sent 50,000 times faster than current average speeds, and millions of medical records could be transmitted in just 60 seconds, the service provider estimates.

“While some providers are trying to extend the life of existing 10G and 40G gears, others such as Lumos Networks view a migration to 100G as absolutely necessary based upon a dramatic surge in network traffic,” said Frost & Sullivan analyst, Roopashree Honnachari. “F&S research validates that the demand for 100G networks has begun and it is here to stay."

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