You may have heard of fiber optic, a more advanced way of providing internet to consumers compared to cable. What you may not have heard is dark fiber. This type of fiber isn’t one that’s typically talked about, and that’s because it’s not one that often finds use. In some select cases, dark fiber can prove an invaluable asset. This article will act as our guide to what dark fiber is and how it’s used.

To start, dark fiber is unused fiber optic lines that are lined alongside regular fiber optic lines. This means that the fiber can’t be connected to anything on either side, not just that whatever the line is already connected to. It might seem like a waste to pack in cables with no use, but there is a reason. The major cost of installing fiber is running fiber optic cables. By adding extra fiber lines, a company can simply plug those in if demand in an area increases. This way they don’t have to waste time running new fiber optic cables.             

So, what is dark fiber used for? While many businesses prefer the ease of paying an ISP (Internet Service Provider) for their services, some would rather set up their own internet. By leasing out their unused lines, an ISP can offer that opportunity to a prospective business. Rather than the lines running from the ISP to the business, the lines would connect to the business on both ends, meaning the infrastructure is now in place to set up a private internet service.