Datek Turns to MFN’s Dark Fiber

Metromedia Fiber Networks Inc.’s aggressive build-out of dark fiber in metropolitan areas helped it catch a big fish Wednesday, when Datek Online Holdings Corp. turned to the company to supply it with a high-bandwidth fiber optic backbone.

Dark fiber, sometimes referred to as “unlit glass,” is unused fiber optic cable. Dark fiber is a boon to companies that need to rapidly deploy capacity because it is already in the ground. It merely needs to be turned on.

Datek signed a 10-year lease for fiber infrastructure that will give the company its own dedicated and unshared private communications network. Datek said MFN’s fiber will allow it to connect its data and trading facilities throughout New York and New Jersey through an unmetered, fixed cost bandwidth solution that will allow it to add capacity as needed.

“The Internet has brought investing to the threshold of a new era — an era that Datek has helped create by making online trading accessible to all investors, day or night,” said Nick Tanzi, president and chief operating officer of MFN. “Through MFN’s optical Internet, online brokerage firms gain the required bandwidth to execute trades faster and more reliably during peak trading periods.”

Rolando Garcia, vice president of networking, Datek Online Holdings Corp., added, “The implementation of Metromedia’s dark fiber capabilities has positioned our network to serve our rapidly growing customer base.”