en.Wedoany.com Reported - Recently, US fiber network operator Lightpath announced plans to build new fiber networks for two hyperscale data center campuses under construction in Saline, Michigan, and Port Washington, Wisconsin. Both campuses have a planned capacity exceeding 1 gigawatt. Lightpath will provide three-route fiber infrastructure and multi-terabit communication capacity to the campuses. The Saline project is scheduled to complete fiber delivery by the end of 2026, while the Port Washington project is planned for delivery in the second quarter of 2027.
The direct construction focus of this project is not the data center facilities themselves, but the fiber optic communication infrastructure connecting the data center campuses to metropolitan area networks, long-haul backbone networks, and external cloud networks. As data center campuses expand, the volume of data exchange between server clusters and between campuses and external networks continues to increase, making single-route or single-carrier lines insufficient for high-capacity transmission and failover requirements. Lightpath's proposal to build a "three-route" fiber network means the campuses will have multiple, physically separate communication paths, allowing data transmission to continue via alternative routes in the event of construction interruptions, equipment failures, or maintenance needs on some lines.
According to the announced plan, both data center campuses will receive multi-terabit network capacity. Terabit-level connections are typically used to support high-speed data synchronization, cloud service access, storage backups, and computing task scheduling between large data centers. Lightpath has not yet disclosed the specific fiber count, line length, access node quantity, or equipment suppliers for each campus, but has confirmed that the project will combine new fiber, existing network resources, and partner lines to form end-to-end connections, rather than simply laying access cables around the campus perimeter.
The fiber network for the Saline, Michigan data center campus is scheduled for delivery first. The campus is under construction, and Lightpath needs to simultaneously complete route design, road and conduit coordination, cable laying, node access, and network testing to ensure the communication system aligns with the main data center project timeline. According to the plan, the Saline campus will receive the relevant fiber infrastructure by the end of 2026, indicating that the project has entered a construction phase requiring external network connections.
The fiber network delivery for the Port Washington, Wisconsin campus is scheduled slightly later, in the second quarter of 2027. Lightpath has not disclosed the developers or end users of the two data centers, only stating that both projects are being implemented in collaboration with a core hyperscale customer. Therefore, currently confirmed details are primarily limited to the fiber network construction scale, route structure, communication capacity, and delivery milestones, while internal campus network equipment, server deployment, and specific operational arrangements remain undisclosed.
Lightpath currently builds and operates all-fiber networks in 11 major metropolitan areas across the US, serving cloud computing, data centers, and enterprise critical business connections. Its expansion into Saline, Michigan, and Port Washington, Wisconsin, signifies that its fiber infrastructure will further extend into newly built large-scale data center regions. The company has previously expanded related networks in Phoenix, Arizona; eastern Pennsylvania; and Columbus, Ohio, and has built a long-haul fiber link connecting Columbus and Chicago.
From an engineering perspective, the subsequent construction of the two campuses may involve communication conduits, long-haul cables, metropolitan fiber, fiber distribution systems, optical transmission equipment, network monitoring facilities, and data center entrance rooms. Since Lightpath proposes an end-to-end connection solution, actual construction requires not only campus access but also addressing the integration of new lines with existing metropolitan area networks and long-haul backbone channels. Specific equipment procurement, line contracting, and construction units have not yet been announced, and further subcontracting and supplier information awaits disclosure by relevant companies.
This project reflects that large-scale data center construction is generating new fiber network demands. Once data center capacity reaches the gigawatt level, communication infrastructure cannot be supplemented after the facility is built; instead, transmission capacity, line directions, and backup routes must be determined during the campus construction phase. Lightpath's scheduling of fiber delivery for the two campuses by the end of 2026 and the second quarter of 2027, respectively, also indicates that external fiber networks have become independent engineering milestones within the data center construction timeline.
