Fiber Optic Infrastructure

Virginia is the leading data center market in the world, supported by its strong internet and fiber optic infrastructure that helps data centers thrive. It is believed that roughly 70 percent of the world’s internet traffic runs through Virginia, and with continued investments to support incredible internet infrastructure growth in the state, Virginia will continue to remain at the epicenter. This is due, in large part, to the high-density fiber optic cable networks that run throughout the state. Data centers require reliable, fast, and redundant connectivity – and this need is met in Virginia, including Southern Virginia.

Southern Virginia is highly connected by high-density fiber optic infrastructure that runs across the region via Mid-Atlantic Broadband Communities Corporation’s (MBC) advanced fiber-optic broadband network. MBC’s expansive network spans nearly 2,000 miles across the region and includes long-haul optical transport routes to key peering hubs on the East Coast, including Ashburn, Atlanta, Culpeper, Richmond, Charlotte, and Raleigh. The MBC network also offers direct connections to Europe and South America through the two subsea landing stations based in Virginia Beach.

MBC’s terabit network is powered by the industry’s best-in-class packet-optical transport network architecture, which enables data centers to benefit from low latency, 100G connections. In addition to offering robust optical transport services on its network, MBC provides colocation and tower leasing to retail telecommunication service providers. Leveraging MBC’s robust and scalable advanced fiber-optic broadband network and its prime location in the heart of the world’s data center market, SOVA is well-equipped to support many data center locations and companies with their growing needs.

As data center capacity requirements become more sophisticated and transport needs grow, a highly connected network with speed and reliability is increasingly critical. MBC’s fiber optic infrastructure and backbone network architecture can deliver 100G services and is designed to support terabit capacity as needed. MBC uses packet optical networking solutions designed by Infinera, the only supplier platforms delivering 500G of transmission capacity based on photonic integrated circuits. MBC can deliver 500G on a single line and scale up to 12T of optical transport network switching, providing seamless expansion to the network as traffic requirements grow. MBC’s network is designed to protect itself against network failures – should the network go down, MBC’s 24/7 operations center can re-route traffic immediately, avoiding disruption to its customers, an essential failsafe for data centers who rely on reliable service.

SOVA’s strong fiber infrastructure, optical transport network, atop power, water, sewer, and transportation, combined with a technically skilled workforce and available sites make the region the ideal location for data centers.

MBC is committed to providing economic development leadership to Southern Virginia by operating nearly 2,000 miles of open-access fiber optic network, providing wholesale telecommunications transport, dark fiber and colocation services. With presence in major internet peering exchange points, MBC reduces the cost of Internet access for wholesale customers and reduces the time and cost to reach customers in rural Virginia markets. MBC’s network supports job creation as a critical element in the recruitment of major commercial investments.