Equinix’s D11 data center near Washinton, D.C.

[Via Satellite 10-11-2016] Laser Light Communications (US) and its affiliate firm, Laser Light Global (UK) have selected global interconnection and data center company Equinix to be a strategic interconnection provider for the All Optical Hybrid Global Network (HALO). As part of the initial agreement, Laser Light will establish its inaugural global Point of Presence (PoP) at Equinix’s DC11 International Business Exchange (IBX) data center in the Washington, D.C. area.

Laser Light’s HALO system is a hybrid optical network exclusively utilizing laser technology. The system is designed to use eight to 12 satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), with a total service capacity of 7.2 Tbps. Laser Light intends to interconnect its proposed HALO satellite system with more than 100 customer PoPs clustered within 20 to 25 Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WANs) across the globe. The HALO network will be cross-connected to Laser Light’s extended ground network and operating system for carrier grade service, as well as to provide redundancy, resiliency, and security.

With the deployment at DC11, Laser Light will commence installation, testing and demonstration of its laser communications and SD-WAN equipment. Once operational, the HALO satellite constellation will offer its Optical Satellite as a Service (OSaaS) “SpaceCable” services to carriers, enterprises and government customers at Equinix facilities around the globe. The all-optical communications system will be capable of connecting any two points on the globe with 100Gbps service links, according to Laser Light.

Equinix is home to more than 1,400 networks and 2,500 cloud and IT service providers on its global platform, with more than 145 data centers across 40 top markets on five continents. The partnership permits Laser Light to access global facilities, which aids the company in connecting to local and terrestrial fiber infrastructure — a necessary measure to bypass atmospheric interference and deliver SpaceCable services directly to customers.

“By adding ‘SpaceCable’ as an equivalent offering together with terrestrial and submarine cables, Equinix customers looking for low latency solutions to reach new or emerging markets will have access to a full suite of data transport options,” said Ihab Tarazi, Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Equinix.