- New optical link offers up to 400 Gb/s between Ashburn and Atlanta
- Route built using Ciena’s RLS and WaveLogic 5 Extreme tech
What happened: EXA expands US network to support AI and data centre growth
EXA Infrastructure has activated a new fibre route linking Ashburn, Virginia, to Atlanta, Georgia, utilising optical systems from Ciena. The route supports up to 400 Gb/s capacity to meet demand from data centres, hyperscalers and enterprise players. The deployment uses Ciena’s Reconfigurable Line System (RLS) and WaveLogic 5 Extreme coherent optical technology to deliver high throughput, flexibility and future upgrade paths.
EXA says the link traverses the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains and adds route diversity across its transatlantic network. It enhances the company’s “multi-corridor digital bridge” between North America and Europe. The network also uses Ciena’s Navigator Network Control Suite to provide full visibility and control over the photonic layer. EXA claims this addition strengthens its on-net reach and offers lower latency circuits to major cloud and AI workloads.
Also Read: Exa Infrastructure opens new fibre route in Western Europe
Also Read: EXA launches new Low-Latency fibre route across Europe
Why it’s important
This route gives EXA stronger backbone capacity in a critical corridor linking US east coast markets to inland hubs. Ashburn is a major data centre node; direct high-capacity links to Atlanta address growing traffic demands from cloud and AI workloads. The use of Ciena’s flexible optical platform allows for smoother evolution to future technologies without complete overhauls.
Enhanced resilience and route diversity are vital in global networks. As EXA builds transatlantic infrastructure, having multiple strong paths in the US bolsters reliability and helps mitigate outages. Enterprises and cloud providers will benefit from scalable, lower latency circuits and more robust pathing choices. With the rise of AI and data-intensive workloads, firms demand connectivity that can keep pace. This upgrade positions EXA as a stronger player in high-performance infrastructure and cross-continent backbone networks.
