Wholesale Fiber (Lit and Dark)

Wholesale fiber refers to fiber optic infrastructure made available to multiple entities on a non-retail basis, either as lit fiber, where the network operator provides active electronics and managed bandwidth services, or dark fiber, where lessees deploy and control their own electronics over unused fiber strands. Wholesale fiber models support scalable network expansion, cost efficiency, and multi-provider access to high-capacity connectivity.

Wholesale fiber plays a critical role in enabling competitive broadband markets, supporting wireless backhaul, and connecting community anchor institutions. Fiber infrastructure deployed through BEAD-funded projects may be structured to support wholesale access, allowing states and local entities to extend the long-term utility of federally supported networks beyond initial last-mile deployment.