Lumen has expanded access to its Multi-Cloud Gateway service, giving enterprises a way to connect over 10 million U.S. business locations to private cloud networking services.

The expansion extends the service beyond Lumen's fiber footprint, so qualified third-party off-net connected locations can use the same cloud networking environment as Lumen on-net sites.

Leveraging off-net sites to enhance its reach is nothing new for Lumen. 

Lumen's off-net Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solutions, such as Project Berkeley, extend enterprise services via multiple access types to significantly scale market reach.

After reaching 1,000 customers in August 2025, Lumen expanded its Internet On-Demand capabilities to more than 10 million new locations through off-net partners. In addition to Internet On-Demand, customers can enhance their network by adding Lumen DDoS Essentials and Lumen Defender, powered by Black Lotus Labs. 

Jim Fowler, chief technology and product officer at Lumen, said this expansion is about simplifying the multi-site enterprise experience.

"By extending Multi-Cloud Gateway beyond our fiber footprint, we're making it easier for enterprises to connect more locations to a programmable, cloud-ready network without redesigning their architecture,” he said.

Consistent cloud model

Lumen’s new offer will resonate with multi-site enterprises that have struggled to manage multiple cloud environments. The crux of the problem is that large enterprises often have locations outside a single provider’s network footprint, meaning they must use separate network architectures and management tools.

Enterprises can gain a consistent cloud networking model by using the Lumen Connect portal and APIs to apply the same routing policies, segmentation controls, and digital management experience across more locations.

Peter Chahal, IDC Research Director, Worldwide Telecommunications, said service providers must not only provide connectivity across multiple enterprise clouds, but also ensure the cloud experience works in any location.

“As enterprises scale across multiple clouds, the challenge is no longer simply connecting cloud environments,” he said. “It's extending the same secure, high-performance networking experience to every location where business happens. By expanding Multi-Cloud Gateway beyond its fiber footprint, Lumen is helping address a critical market need: enabling distributed enterprises to connect more locations to cloud and AI environments through a consistent, software-defined networking model.”