Dark Fibre doesn't involve the Dark Side, the Dark Web or the Dark Crystal.
Simply, the idea of "Dark Fibre" is putting dormant fibre-optic cables to use.
Fibre-optic cables use light to send data, and therefore an unused cable is imagined as being "dark".
Due to the fact that around 80% of the cost of laying fibre-optic cables and infrastructure is paid out in labour, telecommunications providers typically lay more fibre optic cable than they need at the time as a way of future-proofing their costs for a better Return On Investment (ROI).
Advances in technology have dramatically improved the amount of bandwidth provided by a fibre-optic cable, making the redundant cable runs truly redundant and leaving them "dark".
Dark Fibre is the idea that this so-far-wasted infrastructure can be on-sold through leasing to competitors or by connecting customers to Dark Fibre-specific services, returning some value for the costs previously incurred during installation.
Can I get Dark Fibre?
Unused fibre-optic cable is more prevalent in North America where expansion speculation failed to take into account the improvements in technology that have allowed the original fibre runs to carry more than 100 times their original bandwidth, leaving the surplus fibre unused.
Dark Fibre does exist in Australia, though not as much as in North America, and may be available to you depending on your location.
Is Dark Fibre right for my organisation?
Talk to our Business Technology Managers (BTMs) today to see if Dark Fibre is available to you through our DNet products in your area, and if a Dark Fibre installation is right for your organisation.
Give us a call on 1300 307 907 or contact us via the form below.
