Lightpath to Expand High-Fiber Network from New York City to Ashburn, VA, Boosting Manhattan Market Reach by Over 20% with Enhanced Geographic Diversity

Lightpath customers will soon benefit from a substantial increase in network reach and service capacity. Lightpath, an all-fiber, infrastructure-based connectivity provider, recently announced a definitive agreement to acquire all United Fiber and Data assets. The deal includes UFD’s extensive 323-route mile, high-fiber count network between New York City and Ashburn, VA, and its 79-route mile metro network in New York City and New Jersey. This strategic acquisition, pending regulatory approvals, is expected to close in Q3 2024.

United Fiber and Data Infrastructure

The expansive network links the largest U.S. population center with the world’s largest data center and cloud ecosystem, including over 350 enterprise and data center locations. This acquisition will bolster Lightpath’s network, which spans over 20,000 route miles and connects more than 15,000 service locations. United Fiber and Data’s New York City-Ashburn network boasts high-fiber counts and the latest optical technologies from Ciena, supporting dark fiber, Ethernet and wavelengths up to 800 Gbps. 

Additionally, this unique infrastructure, distinct from conventional long-haul routes along the I-95 corridor will strengthen Lightpath’s extensive, all-fiber network as it delivers geographically diverse, high-capacity services directly to commercial enterprise buildings, cable landing stations and data centers, facilitating seamless access to the Ashburn ecosystem. With this enhancement, Lightpath will continue to offer unparalleled connectivity and reliability to its customers.

As for United Fiber and Data customers, they will gain access to the entirety of Lightpath’s network. Customers will also have access to the full range of Lightpath’s service portfolio, including Dark Fiber, Ethernet, Internet, LP FlexNet, Private Networks, Security Solutions, Voice, Wavelengths, and other Managed Services. Moreover, UFD customers will be able to connect to over 140 data centers, 7 cable landing stations, and all major cloud providers. 

Lightpath Redefining Connectivity with United Fiber and Data

With an eye toward strategic growth, Lightpath is primed for expansion and set to redefine connectivity in vital markets. 

 “The addition of United Fiber & Data is a natural extension of Lightpath’s expansive Greater New York City Metropolitan fiber assets, increasing our ability to serve high-capacity customer needs into the Ashburn data center ecosystem and further enhancing our Manhattan metro coverage where we will serve nearly 1,500 enterprise and data center destinations, a 5x increase over the past 3 years. This represents a continuation of Lightpath’s strategic investment thesis of creating critical fiber infrastructure in attractive and high growth markets for the benefit of our Enterprise, Hyperscale, and Wholesale customers.” — Chris Morely, CEO, Lightpath

Click here to read the full release. For more information about Lightpath, please visit lightpathfiber.com and follow us on LinkedIn.