Fiber: Buy Dark

Generally lower than managed services because you eliminate carrier overhead like SONET muxes or queuing delays.

Companies like Zayo and Arelion (formerly Telia Carrier) that specialize in long-haul and metro backbones.

When you "buy" dark fiber, you typically enter one of two legal arrangements:

Some local governments own fiber rings and lease strands to businesses to spur economic growth. 5. Procurement Checklist

This is a long-term agreement, typically lasting 20 years , that grants a strong form of ownership interest. It usually involves a substantial upfront payment followed by annual maintenance fees.