Across the U.S., the appetite for reliable connectivity and greater bandwidth shows no sign of abating, especially with the expanding influence of AI across industries and the proliferation of mega data centers.
To meet this moment, leading fiber technology provider Great Plains Communications (GPC) built a robust 19,000+ mile fiber-optic network that is ready for any connectivity need. Powered by Ciena’s optical networking and routing and switching technology, GPC’s network reaches 13 states, delivered through community access rings and middle- and last-mile solutions in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
Across more than 200 markets in these locales, GPC’s diverse, low-latency, unique high-capacity fiber routes make it possible for the provider to optimize speed and performance as the bandwidth needs of customers grow, supported by 25 data centers and 650 towers that are strategically located to meet demand.
“Our extensive fiber presence enables Great Plains Communications to offer unique and resilient routes that set us apart in the industry. We go where others can’t,” said Tony Thakur, CTO, Great Plains Communications.
The network – which is engineered with redundancy to meet the mission-critical demands of GPC’s carrier, enterprise, hyperscaler, wholesale and fiber-to-the-tower (FTTT) customers – provides multiple wavelengths up to 400 Gb/s for the most demanding applications and seamless scalability across 1G/10G/100G/400G services for future growth. This will allow customers to keep pace with rising demand and technology shifts.
GPC’s 400G capabilities support services such as data center interconnect (DCI), which enable cloud and content providers to bring data and applications closer to where they are most needed: the end users. Additionally, scalable 400G means that GPC can provide fast and reliable coverage across both rural and urban areas, catering to the evolving needs of wireless operators.
“Today’s AI applications and cloud-based technologies require massive amounts of bandwidth—and this will only continue to grow,” said Thakur. “That’s why our network is built for the future.”
“Leveraging Ciena technology, we’ve modernized our infrastructure to stay ahead of the curve,” he continued. “We can accommodate even the most data-hungry applications, and we’re well prepared to meet the changing bandwidth requirements of hyperscalers, large-scale data centers, and cloud providers.”
