Quantum Loophole begins QLoop fiber network deployment
Quantum Loophole Inc. says it has begun construction of the QLoop network that will connect its Quantum Fredrick data center campus in Frederick, MD, currently under construction, with the Ashburn, VA, data center ecosystem. The 43-mile fiber ring will accommodate more than 200,000 strands of fiber and offer roundtrip connectivity of under 0.5 msec.
The company says that QLoop will comprise more than 30 HDPE conduits, each 2 inches in diameter, that will be buried deeper than common security procedures prescribe. The conduit capacity will enable a “dig once” approach, enabling significant quantities of fiber to be added to the network without the need for further digging, Quantum Loophole asserts. The initial fiber availability per-conduit will be 3,456 strands; the systemwide bend radius is designed to accommodate 6,912 fibers in each conduit.
The loop route between the Fredrick campus and Ashburn will cross the Potomac River twice; the necessary government permits for these crossings have been acquired, according to Quantum Loophole. On campus, QLoop will connect with a pair of network centers, each equipped with Telescent robotic crossconnects. The crossconnects will be able to process millions of cross connections to keep the tenants of the campus connected to the QLoop network, Quamtum Loophole says.
“We are building the largest medium-haul fiber backbone that’s ever been created,” says Josh Snowhorn, founder and CEO of Quantum Loophole. “And we are bolstering that with some pretty amazing cross-connect capabilities. Each property will have access to conduits and thousands of strands of fiber directly into the QLoop system to enable seamless, private and secure connectivity for all of our campus-wide customers.”
The company is accepting pre-orders for conduit, custom fiber deployments, and access to QLoop.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
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