Core Insights - Lightpath received a perfect score of 100 and a 5-Star Rating on the 2025 GRESB Infrastructure Asset Benchmark Report, ranking first among private data transmission companies in the fiber networks sector in the Americas [1] - The GRESB 5-Star Rating places Lightpath in the top 20% of all participating entities, achieving two designations: Infrastructure Asset Super Class Leader and Sector Leader – Data Infrastructure [2] - Lightpath's score of 97 in the 2024 GRESB Report demonstrates consistent performance in sustainability metrics [2] Company Overview - Lightpath is an all-fiber connectivity provider that offers a comprehensive portfolio of custom-engineered connectivity solutions, emphasizing performance, reliability, and security [5] - The company has been trusted by thousands of enterprises, governments, and educators for over 30 years to power their innovation [5] - Lightpath is jointly owned by Optimum Communications, Inc. and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners [5] ESG Commitment - The achievement of a perfect GRESB score highlights the company's commitment to sustainability, as emphasized by its leadership [4] - Lightpath aims to embed sustainability principles into its core strategy and decision-making processes [4] - The internal teams focused on ESG goals are crucial in driving progress and setting new benchmarks for the industry [4]

Award Brings Columbus Network to 304 Miles NEW YORK, Jan. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lightpath today announced it has secured a third major network award in the Greater Columbus market, reflecting continued, success-based investment driven by hyperscale demand for AI-ready connectivity infrastructure. The latest award builds directly on a network currently under construction, adding 55 route miles of 100% underground, multi-conduit network extending southwest of Columbus toward Cincinnati. This third award br ...

Core Insights - Lightpath has been awarded $252 million in AI-enabling Total Contract Value (TCV) in 2025, marking a 240% increase from $110 million in 2024, indicating a significant market shift towards AI infrastructure deployment [1] - The company's sales pipeline has reached $6.4 billion, a 6.4x increase from the previous year, reflecting a strong demand for fiber infrastructure among hyperscaler, superscaler, and neocloud partners [3] Group 1: Market Demand and Infrastructure Needs - AI workloads are driving a sustained demand for massive bandwidth, predictable latency, and secure data center-to-data center connectivity, necessitating an exponential increase in fiber infrastructure [2] - As hyperscalers and superscalers expand their AI infrastructure, they require unique, fully diverse, and 100% underground routes with a focus on implementation speed and network reliability [2] Group 2: Company Positioning and Capabilities - Lightpath is well-positioned to meet the growing demand for AI infrastructure, supported by its scale, operational capabilities, and responsiveness in delivering custom solutions [3] - The company’s dense, all-fiber network architecture is specifically designed for AI traffic workloads, providing high-performance connectivity and expertise for rapid deployment [4] Group 3: Leadership Insights and Future Outlook - The $362 million in TCV awarded to Lightpath over the past two years reflects the company's focus on execution at scale and its ability to deliver infrastructure ahead of traditional timelines [5] - Lightpath views the demand for hyperscale, superscale, and neocloud infrastructure as a long-term growth engine, reinforcing its role as a trusted partner for AI deployment [6]

Core Insights - Lightpath is expanding its AI-grade fiber network in Greater Columbus, Ohio, adding approximately 150 route miles of high-density fiber, which more than doubles its fiber footprint in the region [1][2][3] Group 1: Expansion and Infrastructure - The expansion reinforces Lightpath's presence in the Midwest and aims to deliver next-generation network infrastructure tailored for AI-driven workloads [2][3] - Engineering and construction for the new network are already underway, with phased completion expected from the end of 2026 through mid-2027 [2] Group 2: Market Position and Strategy - Columbus is recognized as a leading U.S. destination for data center and AI investment, highlighting the scale of hyperscale demand that Lightpath is committed to meeting [3][4] - The expanded network will utilize new underground, multi-conduit systems with high-count fiber capacity to support both metro and regional long-haul applications [3] Group 3: Customer Engagement and Connectivity - Lightpath aims to strengthen its position as a trusted partner for hyperscale, carrier, and large enterprise customers across the Midwest, setting the stage for growth and new AI-grade connectivity opportunities [4] - The company operates dense metro and regional fiber systems across major U.S. markets, connecting nearly 200 data centers to support next-generation workloads in the AI economy [4]

Core Insights - Lightpath announces a major network expansion adding approximately 100 route miles of new fiber across Long Island, southern Connecticut, northern New Jersey, and Westchester County, enhancing its regional footprint and supporting a leading U.S. wireless carrier [1][2]. Group 1: Network Expansion - The expansion is part of a multi-phase deployment that utilizes roughly 70% of existing on-net infrastructure built over the past three years for other national carriers, showcasing the company's ability to scale quickly and cost-effectively [2]. - The newly added routes are designed to support 5G and AI-driven network deployments, providing high-capacity backhaul and aggregation for bandwidth-intensive applications [3]. Group 2: Customer Offerings - Customers in the expansion areas will gain access to Lightpath's full portfolio of all-fiber connectivity solutions, including Optical Transport up to 800 Gbps, Ethernet, Internet Access, Private Networks, Dark Fiber, SD-WAN, Security Solutions, Voice Services, and other Managed Services [4]. Group 3: Strategic Positioning - Lightpath's CEO, Chris Morley, emphasizes the company's execution excellence and deep fiber presence, positioning it as a preferred network partner for both domestic and international carriers expanding in the Northeast [3]. - The announcement follows a series of network investments across the New York Metro region, Phoenix, Eastern PA, and Columbus, OH, as Lightpath builds an "AI-grade" fiber platform for hyperscalers, carriers, and cloud providers [5].

Core Insights - Lightpath is constructing 130-route miles of AI-grade fiber infrastructure in Eastern Pennsylvania to support the growing hyperscale data center ecosystem in the region [1][2][5] - The network will enhance connectivity between Eastern Pennsylvania and major data center hubs, including Ashburn, Virginia, and New York City [3][4] - This project marks Lightpath's third AI infrastructure initiative announced in 2025, following expansions in Phoenix and Columbus [6][7] Group 1: Project Details - The new network will consist of underground, multi-conduit systems with ultrahigh fiber-count capacity, with plans to expand to over 400-route miles [2][4] - Completion of the initial phase is scheduled for mid-2026, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity for various sectors [3][4] - The infrastructure will support a range of services, including dark fiber, Ethernet, and Internet services, catering to hyperscalers and other enterprises [4][5] Group 2: Market Opportunity - The Susquehanna region is identified as a significant opportunity for AI digital infrastructure due to its unique power capacity and data center developments [5][6] - Proximity to densely populated areas in the Northeast will provide low-latency connectivity options for AI workloads [5][7] - Lightpath's tailored approach and proven capabilities have earned trust among partners in the hyperscale market [7]

Core Insights - Lightpath is expanding its fiber infrastructure in Miami, aiming to enhance connectivity services in the region, with completion expected by late 2025 [1][2] - The Miami network will feature over 80-route miles of AI-grade fiber, connecting to 12 critical data centers and offering services including dark fiber and wavelengths up to 800 Gbps [1][2] - The company emphasizes its commitment to investing in underdeveloped digital infrastructure in Miami and South Florida to meet growing customer demand [2][3] Company Overview - Lightpath is focused on providing high-capacity connectivity solutions tailored for AI and Cloud technologies, partnering with major bandwidth consumers [3] - The company connects to over 170 data centers and 7 cable landing stations in New York and New Jersey, offering customized connectivity solutions [2] - Lightpath is jointly owned by Altice USA and Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, with a history of over 30 years in the industry [5]

Core Insights - Lightpath is entering the Columbus, OH market with a new 102-route mile underground high-fiber count network, supported by a major hyperscaler partner [1][2] - The Columbus network will connect two strategic data center campuses and is expected to be completed by mid-2026 [2] - Lightpath aims to provide a full range of connectivity services, including dark fiber, wavelengths up to 800 Gbps, and more, catering to various sectors including enterprises and governments [3] Infrastructure Development - The Columbus network will feature multi-conduit systems with high-fiber count capacity, enhancing connectivity in the region [2] - This project marks Lightpath's second AI infrastructure initiative in 2025, following the Phoenix market entry [4] Market Context - Columbus is the third largest data center ecosystem in the Americas, with 1.8 GW of operational capacity and an additional 3 GW planned [4] - The company is actively pursuing AI-driven opportunities to meet the growing demand from hyperscale and strategic partners [5] Financial Performance - In January, Lightpath reported $110 million in AI-related bookings for 2024, with a remaining demand pipeline of approximately $1 billion [5] - The acquisition of United Fiber and Data assets was also announced this year, further strengthening Lightpath's market position [5] Company Overview - Lightpath combines next-generation network capabilities with customer service to offer custom-engineered connectivity solutions [6] - The company has over 30 years of experience serving enterprises, governments, and educators [6]