Lumen builds new fiber route connecting Seattle to Minneapolis

Lumen Technologies (NYSE: LUMN) announced plans to build NorthLine, a fiber route connecting Seattle to Minneapolis expected to be available by the end of 2026, according to a company press release.

The route will support 100G and 400G wavelength services and integrate with Lumen's existing national network. The company plans to deploy optical technologies that can accommodate future 800G and 1.6 terabit wavelengths.

NorthLine will be delivered through Lumen RapidRoutes, which the company describes as pre-engineered routes with a 20-day service level agreement for qualified deployments. The route is being built along northern U.S. data center corridors where new power capacity is supporting AI infrastructure development.

"Enterprises are building for what comes next—more AI workloads, more distributed infrastructure, and more demand for low latency capacity in the right places," said Kye Prigg, Lumen's chief commercial operations officer.

The new route aims to provide geographic diversity across the northern U.S. and create connectivity between the Pacific Northwest and central U.S. markets. It will enable cross-country connectivity and support traffic flows from West Coast entry points into central U.S. markets.

The route targets enterprises, cloud providers, and companies developing AI infrastructure seeking direct connectivity between these regional markets. Lumen states the route will reduce reliance on multi-provider infrastructure arrangements.

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