Lumen Technologies announced an agreement with Corning for a substantial supply of next-generation fiber-optic cable.

This will significantly improve the capacity of data center AI connectivity as they compete to stay ahead of AI workloads and high bandwidth applications powered by massive amounts of data.

At least ten times as many fiber connections are needed inside data centers in order to keep up with the rapid growth of generative artificial intelligence, highlighting the importance of high-speed fiber optic technology. Additionally, a strong fiber network is needed to transfer data between these data hubs. By signing this deal, Lumen commits to reserving 10% of Corning's total fiber capacity for the following two years.

With this deal, which represents Lumen's biggest cable acquisition to date, the company will be well-equipped to address the long-term network infrastructure requirements of major data center operators, such as Microsoft, which recently announced that it is partnering with Lumen to serve the growing demand for its data centers.

The president and CEO of Lumen Technologies, Kate Johnson, claims that Lumen is an AI network. With artificial intelligence becoming more prevalent, technology companies are racing to acquire fiber and bandwidth before their rivals. He went on to remark that Corning's innovative ideas were the foundation for the AI economy. Lumen is deemed a preferred partner through this relationship, and it ensures a significant supply of next-generation fiber going forward.

Differentiating itself from other networks in the sector, Lumen uses a multi-conduit system to quickly deploy state-of-the-art fiber technology and improve its infrastructure on a regular basis.

To support AI with sufficient capacity, performance, stability, and speed, Lumen is developing a digital platform that runs on top of its physical network and allows for network service consumption similar to that of the cloud. The Lumen Private Connectivity Fabric is a specially designed network that provides dedicated access to the network's current fiber, new fiber installation on both existing and new routes, and digital services from Lumen.