Uniti Wholesale Accelerates 2026 Expansion; FastWaves™ Delivers 100G/400G in Days, Not Months

Core Insights - Uniti Wholesale is accelerating its 2026 expansion plan, which includes new data center on-ramps, key route upgrades, and the launch of FastWaves™, aimed at reducing delivery intervals for high-capacity wavelength services [1][2] Network Expansion - The company is investing significantly in 2026 to enhance connectivity between major U.S. data centers, with plans for approximately 20 new data center on-ramps and six major route upgrades [3] - The expansion aligns with Uniti's commitment to providing best-in-class Wavelength services through its Intelligent Converged Network (ICON), designed for speeds of 10G, 100G, 400G, and 800G to meet the demands of AI [3] - Six initial data center projects are currently underway, with more expected to be completed this year [3] Route Initiatives - Uniti is upgrading or building new routes on approximately six corridors, with three already in progress: Minneapolis–Chicago, Denver–Dallas, and Dallas Metro [4] - These initiatives aim to improve access to data center locations, international cable landing stations, and regional cloud hubs, with ongoing enhancements to support 800G wave capability [4] FastWaves™: Faster Delivery, Lower Cost - The FastWaves program is designed to meet the increasing demand for high-capacity transport by reducing delivery intervals to less than three weeks for 100G and 400G waves on select routes [5] - Phase 1 of FastWaves will activate 40 high-demand routes by March 1, with Phase 2 adding 15 more routes in early Q2 [5][8] - The program features competitive pricing and includes a service level agreement (SLA) commitment for instances where three-week installation intervals are not met [6] Customer Engagement - Customers can access route availability and initiate quotes and orders through the iconnect customer portal using the Route Creator tool [6][8] - The FastWaves program emphasizes carrier-class resiliency with robust SLA commitments and options for diverse, geographically separated routes [6]