A blast from the past.
10 years ago, the largest fiber network ever envisioned was making the news:
Aerie strikes deal with Corning
Jun 26, 2000 03:23 PM ET
By David Algeo, LocalBusiness.com
(ftth note: this was the largest single order anyone has placed for fiber when it signed a deal with Corning for 5 million optic miles. This claim was taken from the last link below, an article from 10/2000)
DENVER, June 26 (LocalBusiness.com) -- Aerie Networks plans to buy more than $1 billion of optical fiber from Corning Inc. as Aerie builds a fiber-optic network that will link cities around the United States.
Construction of the 20,000-mile network, which will join 194 cities, is expected to begin this summer or fall, somewhere in the Midwest, officials said in a teleconference today.
"This partnership represents a significant commitment by both companies (Corning and Aerie) to the successful implementation of the largest inter-city, broadband network ever envisioned in this country," said Peter Geddis, CEO of Denver-based Aerie. He spoke in a conference call with reporters and analysts, and provided related comments in a press release.
Aerie, founded last August, plans to spend roughly $3.5 billion on the network. The company hasn't released details about its financing, but said Corning isn't helping to provide it.
Geddis indicated in the conference call that at least some financing is coming from the pipeline companies that own the rights of way along which Aerie will build its network.
When the network is operational, Aerie plans to sell access to telephone companies, Internet service providers, application service providers and others that provide services within particular cities, and to competitors that also operate "backbone" systems. Backbones are big transmission lines that carry data to and from smaller lines.
Colorado's Qwest and Level 3 are among Aerie's competitors, though Geddis said he plans to sell access to both companies. The network will be the highest-capacity network built by a single company in the United States, officials said.
Construction is expected to wind down in 2003, with some "tidy-up" in early 2004, Geddis said in the conference call.
(Link to this article web.archive.org )
Another old article on Aerie's plans:
web.archive.org
And another old article, on the fiber supply shortages in late 2000 begins with, "This year, enough optical fiber will be laid worldwide to make the round trip to the moon 117 times. It won't be nearly enough to keep up with demand.
With a 16-month lag between new orders and delivery, carriers that haven't secured ironclad contracts with fiber manufacturers are in trouble, and slipping behind the carriers that have"
full article at web.archive.org |
