Zayo Selected for C-RAN Connectivity

October 3, 2016

October 4, 2016 —

A major wireless carrier has selected Zayo Group to deploy C-RAN connectivity in two major metro areas. In one market, Zayo will provide an “over the top” fronthaul solution, providing incremental fibers on existing paths to supplement the existing network. In the second market, Zayo will initiate service for the carrier in a new cluster of sites, solving for high-demand areas by extensively leveraging dense, existing metro dark fiber assets.

“The key ingredient in C-RAN is dark fiber. And this is very much in ZAYO’s wheelhouse,” said Jennifer Fritzsche, Wells Fargo senior analyst. “We continue to believe the infrastructure build of 5G will be a boon for the companies that provide the pipes / fiber (like ZAYO and Crown Castle International) well before the standards actually get set. And if this ‘major wireless carrier’ is who we think it is – they are typically the first mover and others tend to follow hard and fast!”

Increasingly, wireless carriers are turning to C-RAN architecture to improve network performance while reducing capital expenditures and gaining operating efficiencies.

“C-RAN enables wireless carriers to cost-efficiently keep pace with the growing bandwidth demand of their customers,” said Dave Jones, executive vice president, dark fiber solutions at Zayo. “C-RAN, which requires a plentiful supply of dark fiber, is a prime example of second tenant economics for Zayo.”

To accommodate current and future data demand, carriers are taking steps to upgrade their networks now, deploying technologies such as C-RAN and small cell, according to Jack Waters, Zayo CTO

“Although 5G has not been fully defined, carriers are implementing solutions to densify their networks for 5G,” he said. “The migration toward dark fiber solutions, C-RAN, and small cells are foundational for the migration to 5G.”