Lightower Announces Expansion of All-Fiber Network in Chicago Market


BOXBOROUGH, MA--(Marketwired - Dec 11, 2013) -

  • Premier Metro Fiber Provider Aggressively Expanding in Chicago Metro Region
  • Constructing Multiple Fiber Rings Throughout Downtown Chicago and Surrounding Communities
  • All-Fiber Networking will be Available to Hundreds of Area Commercial Buildings

Lightower Fiber Networks, the premier provider of custom, high-capacity network services that ensure optimal application and business performance, today announced a major investment in its network in the Chicago metro region, as part of Lightower's continued strategy of aggressive network expansion. Lightower is constructing multiple new fiber rings throughout downtown Chicago and the surrounding communities of Oak Brook, Elk Grove and Franklin Park. This network expansion will make Lightower services available to hundreds of new commercial buildings and data centers throughout the area. 

Lightower will also be building its network into area interconnection facilities, including those in downtown Chicago, Franklin Park and Oak Brook. Businesses, educational institutions and government groups will all have access to the new network and its high-performance networking solutions, including Ethernet, wavelengths, dark fiber, Internet access, video transport and managed private optical networks. Customers also gain access to the entire Lightower Network of over 20,000 route miles and 7,500 service locations throughout the Chicago area, the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic. 

"Lightower's Chicago network expansion demonstrates not only the aggressive investment that Lightower is making in this market, but it also reflects the level of demand that we are seeing from customers in the region," explained Rob Shanahan, CEO of Lightower. "Chicago is a natural fit for Lightower as we continue our strategy of bringing all-fiber solutions to the places where organizations do business -- more buildings and more data centers. As area businesses, schools and governments require more and more bandwidth, Lightower will be there to supply them with industry-leading solutions."

Lightower will rapidly deploy this expansion and start bringing customers online in early 2014. As part of this expansion, Lightower is also investing in expanded sales and support staff for the region. 

Cities and key points along Lightower's network expansion in the Chicago Metro include:

  • Downtown Chicago
  • O'Hare International Airport
  • Lacey Road, Chicago, IL
  • Oak Brook, IL
  • Elk Grove, IL
  • Franklin Park, IL

Lightower's complete suite of all-fiber solutions is available to customers in these expansion areas. Lightower's high-performance services include:

  • Ethernet service from 10 Mbps to 100 Gbps
  • Wavelength service from 1 Gbps to 100 Gbps
  • Dedicated Internet access to 10 Gbps
  • Dark fiber
  • Ultra-low latency solutions
  • Data center and cloud connectivity solutions
  • Video transport solutions
  • Private network solutions
  • Wireless backhaul solutions
  • Access to all the 7,500+ Lightower service locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Metro Chicago, including commercial buildings, data centers, financial exchanges, telco hotels and other critical interconnection facilities.

Over the past five years, Lightower has rapidly expanded throughout the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and Greater Chicago area. In that time, Lightower has successfully closed and integrated seven acquisitions to complement its strong organic growth. Earlier this year, Lightower closed a merger with Sidera Networks, which doubled the size of the company and the Lightower Network. Lightower has also successfully acquired and integrated Veroxity in Boston, Lexent in New York City, Open Access on Long Island, KeySpan Communications in New York, Hudson Valley Datanet in Newburgh, NY, and National Grid Wireless in New England. 

Learn more about Lightower Fiber Networks:

About Lightower Fiber Networks
Lightower Fiber Networks is the premier, all-fiber provider of custom, high-capacity network services that ensure optimal application and business performance. Serving enterprise, government, carrier and data center customers, our comprehensive suite of fiber-based solutions is delivered across a robust, dense and highly-reliable network. The company offers over 20,000 route miles of network, providing access to over 7,500 service locations throughout the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic and Chicago Metro with connectivity to critical international landing sites. Lightower Fiber Networks is headquartered in Boxborough, MA. For more information, visit www.lightower.com or call 1.888.LT.FIBER.

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