Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Curious about how Crosstown Fiber delivers secure, high-performance fiber infrastructure? Our FAQs provide clear insights into our services, technology, and the benefits of private fiber networks. Learn how we design, build, and operate fiber solutions tailored for businesses, schools, healthcare institutions, and municipalities across the Chicago area.

What does Crosstown Fiber do?

Crosstown Fiber designs, builds, and operates private fiber infrastructure across the Chicago area. We provide customized fiber solutions to businesses, schools, healthcare institutions, and municipalities.

How is Crosstown Fiber different from larger fiber providers?

As a boutique, locally based provider, we offer faster response times, personalized service, and customized fiber solutions tailored to your specific needs—something national carriers simply can’t match.

What is Data Center Interconnection?

Data Center Interconnection (DCI) is a high-capacity fiber infrastructure in excess of 6,912 fiber strands, fully underground for secure reliability. It allows businesses to transfer data efficiently between two or more data centers.

What makes Crosstown Fiber a premier provider of Data Center Interconnectivity?

Crosstown Fiber specializes in delivering high-capacity, low-latency fiber infrastructure tailored to enterprises, healthcare, education, finance, and government institutions. We offer custom-built, high-performance fiber solutions that ensure seamless, direct connections to data centers, cloud platforms, and mission-critical applications.

What are the benefits of a private fiber network?

Private fiber networks offer unmatched security, reliability, and scalability. They eliminate bandwidth congestion, provide direct control over your network, and support high-performance applications like cloud computing and real-time data transmission.

What’s the difference between fiber infrastructure and traditional networks?

Fiber infrastructure provides high-speed, low-latency connectivity for businesses, data centers, and carriers. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, fiber-optic infrastructure enables faster data transfer and greater reliability.

What is the difference between dark fiber and lit fiber?

Dark fiber refers to unused or unlit fiber optic infrastructure that is available for lease, allowing businesses to manage their own network. Lit fiber, on the other hand, is fiber that is already active and managed by a service provider.

Why is underground fiber better than aerial fiber?

Underground fiber is significantly more reliable than aerial fiber. It is protected from weather-related disruptions (such as storms, ice, or falling tree branches) and accidental damage from vehicles or construction. Underground fiber also offers better security since it is less accessible to physical tampering or damage.

How does Crosstown Fiber ensure network security and reliability?

We design our fiber networks with security and redundancy in mind. Our private fiber infrastructure includes secure, underground pathways and diverse routing options, such as redundant ring architectures, to minimize downtime and maximize performance.

How does Crosstown Fiber support high-bandwidth, low-latency needs?

Our fiber infrastructure is designed for ultra-high bandwidth and low-latency applications. Whether for financial transactions, real-time data processing, or cloud connectivity, our network provides dedicated, private pathways to ensure peak performance without interference or congestion.

Does Crosstown Fiber provide internet service?

No, we do not provide internet services. We build and lease private fiber infrastructure, allowing our customers to connect with their preferred internet service providers or use the network for internal communication.