What is Dark Fiber? I am seeing references to it in 5G threads.
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Dark Fiber for Verizon is having our equipment in the network path but contracting out a Telco provider like Zayo to maintain it and fix issues like fiber cuts.
It is the healthy cereal consumed by Dark Helmet in Spaceballs. Keeps you regular.
@idn, I agree hundo p. Yeet! Yaas! TBH, gotta start adulting, be dad. So trill. Good wig snatch. OP can’t even. SMH, cause it’s GMT.
What is telecom?
I can’t believe someone who works in telecom is asking this question, it makes me laugh when some arrogant young fool on here disparage older VZ employees, well good luck when us old folks walk out the door and take the knowledge with us
Maybe Dark Fiber is a DC Comic ripoff of Marvel’s Black Panther, a move so hackneyed, it would make Stan Lee blush?
@zan .... best and most correct answer.
So, somewhat different definitions being offered here. This is because the meaning has expanded over time.
From https://www.interoute.com/what-is-dark-fibre
"The traditional meaning of Dark Fibre refers to unused or ‘dark’ network infrastructure that is a mixture of cabling, switches and repeaters. Data is transported over optical fibre networks by passing light through the cables. If there is no data being transported, there is no light – this means that the fibre is ‘dark’. Dark Fibre is essentially optical fibre infrastructure that is not in use.
The term ‘Dark Fibre’ has now evolved to encompass the practice of leasing ‘dark’ fibre optic cables from network providers and operators. A client will lease unused strands of ‘dark’ fibre optic cable to create their own privately-operated optical fibre network rather than just leasing bandwidth. The Dark Fibre network is separate from the main network and is controlled by the client rather than the network provider."
One analogy I heard a long time ago is that people overbuilt with fiber just like the railroads did way back. I am sure usage of fiber will eventually get higher but I understand there is still a lot of unused capacity.
@WcL0TJ1-ccn probably anything leased from other companies even if it is lighted up
Once you add equipment on both ends and light it up, it is no longer dark fiber, but I always hear management refer to it still as dark fiber.
It's unlit fiber lines provided by telco that VZW will light with their cell equipment. When there is an issue, VZW tests it and tells telco where the problem is which they are still responsible to fix. VZW has started putting equipment in telco COs where dark fiber feeds out to cell sites or nodes on poles.
It’s a pipe we give the customer for x amount of $ and we don’t care what they do with it aka they use all there own equipment on either side. Vz wireless use these a lot for cell sites.
Dark fiber is the extra fibers that aren’t used in a cable that has already been placed . There is a ton of it out there ! Now VZ sells that fiber off to other companies
Dark Fiber is fiber supplied by another source and generally VZ uses specific gear for transport instead.
Fiber without equipment