FBA Presents – How Do We Solve the Unappreciated Fiber Capacity Increase Needed Between AI Data Centers?

Many AI professionals anticipate at least a threefold increase in total hyperscale data center capacity in the coming years. Often discussed is the monumental challenge of meeting power/ electric needs; suitable land for sites; water for cooling; and the availability of advanced microchips and other enabling products. But… a fifth and potentially as critical challenge is meeting the fiber-optic interconnection requirements between data centers.

This session will begin by outlining how fiber capacity, latency, and security requirements are integral and require scaling to address these challenges. Next, the discussion will quantify the anticipated need for fiber and fiber installation, describing it in terms of fiber miles (reflecting material demand) and route miles (reflecting construction needs). The analysis will consider three main areas: establishing new interconnections between new data center locations and access points, upgrading existing long-haul routes, and constructing additional long-haul routes.

The purpose of the session is to inform FBA members about this segment of the fiber market, highlight relevant policy considerations to support efficient construction, and provide an overview of the scale of expected developments.

Presented by:

• Michael Render, CEO, RVA LLC – Market Research and Consulting
• Jordan Gross, Director of State Government Affairs, Lumen Technologies
• John George, Sr. Director, Solutions Engineering and Fusion Splicers, OFS
• David Eckard, VP of Broadband Partners, Nokia