Global bandwidth services provider Zayo Group, LLC says it has been selected by UK mobile operator O2 to provide and manage a fully resilient core fiber-optic network throughout the UK.
The nationwide network, which will span more than 4,500 route km and include 19 connectivity points around the UK, reaches from Glasgow in Scotland to Salisbury on the south coast. The network uses the acquired Geo Networks infrastructure (see "Zayo acquires London-based fiber provider Geo Networks").
The 15-year agreement marks a shift for O2 from SDH and Ethernet-based managed services infrastructure to a dedicated fiber-optic network which connects mobile switching sites across the network.
Zayo says the new infrastructure will provide O2 with flexible capacity to accommodate increasing demand for mobile data driven by its 4G rollout and increasingly digital customer base. The national network will incorporate towns and cities around the UK including Slough, Croydon, Newcastle, and London.
"With the O2 4G network now covering over 260 towns and cities and half of the UK population, there has been unprecedented growth in the amount of data traffic transmitted across the network," said Adrian Di Meo, chief technology officer for O2. "A year after the launch of our 4G network, it has already carried a total of 5,400 TB of 4G data, which is the equivalent of 8 million hours of HD video. Deploying high-capacity core fiber is essential when faced with this increase in data traffic and the resilience and reliability of our network is important for customers."
Di Meo added, "Zayo's track record, expertise and experience made them a natural choice to provide this fiber-optic infrastructure. The new backbone will continue to help deliver a great digital experience for our customers."
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