Leading global comms provider Verizon has reached an agreement with fibre cable manufacturer Corning to supply more than 80 million miles of high-density optical fibre and connectivity solutions.
Among the key aspects of the multibillion-dollar deal, set to run from 2027 to 2032, are high-density artificial intelligence (AI) interconnects that will see the deployment of multi-thousand-strand ribbon cables across major long-haul corridors to link hyperscaler datacentres (such as AWS and Google) for high-throughput AI workloads, a unified converged architecture, a 40 to 50 million fibre passings runway and manufacturing assurance across the US.
For Verizon, the deal is a necessity which, by merging local broadband access, mobile connectivity and long-haul AI infrastructure onto a single high-capacity grid, can “reaffirm [Verizon’s] role as the physical foundation of modern society”.
The multi-use fibre deployment will accelerate the comms provider’s plans to build a broadband expansion for homes and businesses while building a national long-haul backbone required by AI hyperscalers.
Verizon added that its push toward 40 to 50 million broadband passings boosts business connectivity to ensure communities across the US gain access to ultra-fast, reliable internet and the power to choose how they connect. Cell towers, enterprise datacentres and residential neighbourhoods will connect to the exact same backbone to deliver “a frictionless digital experience” to ensure “continuous, seamless” connectivity whether using fixed or mobile access.
“Securing this volume of fibre allows us to continue building the network of the future at an unprecedented scale,” said Kyle Malady, Verizon Business CEO. “We are deploying a single, converged architecture that unites mobile connectivity and broadband into one seamless experience for millions of families and businesses, while simultaneously building the high-capacity, low-latency backbone AI hyperscalers demand. With Corning as our partner, we are securing the physical foundation of America’s AI economy.”
In addition to convergence, Verizon noted that because heavy AI workloads demand near-zero latency and massive throughput, high-density fibre is essential to support the ever-growing scale of large language models (LLMs). Verizon’s AI Connect strategy sees the company deploying ultra-dense cables across major long-haul corridors to directly connect datacentres and make sure fibre networks help to bring AI’s benefits to businesses and communities.
For its part, the deal will allow Corning to scale its US manufacturing footprint and provide its Contour Flow Cable, which will allow Verizon to deploy more optical fibre in conduit pathways. The ribbon cable is said to be built to maximise the value of fibre infrastructure investments while increasing network capacity and bandwidth.
“Corning is thrilled to deepen our three-decade partnership with Verizon as we provide our latest optical innovations in fibre, cable and connectivity to link AI datacentres together while ensuring more Americans have access to AI with high-speed fibre connections at home,” said Mike O’Day, senior vice-president and general manager of Corning Optical Communications.
“This partnership demonstrates that GenAI [generative AI] and broadband expansion are part of the same transformative opportunity. Corning is proud to build on our 175-year legacy of supporting our customers’ growth with breakthrough innovations that we manufacture at scale here in the US.”
