Here's one fiber network builder who doesn't leave communities behind

Light Source Communications signed its second major hyperscale tenant on a 500-mile, dark fiber route it’s building between Tulsa (OK) and St. Louis (MO). The company says the new hyperscaler deal highlights the fact that the central U.S. is becoming a critical corridor for the massive data center demands of AI. Debra Freitas, CEO of Light Source Communications, said, “If you see where all of the major builds are happening, they're primarily in the central U.S. and going east and west, north and south from there.” She said the reason was because of cheaper land and power in the central part of the country. Pete Empie, Light Source’s chief strategy officer, said, “We don't decide that these are the markets we want. Our customers come and ask us to build it. We don't build anything on speculation.” The company always has an anchor tenant before it starts building. But Light Source says it can’t name its hyperscaler customers because of non-disclosure agreements.