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Altice, Inc. ATUS recently announced that its subsidiary Lightpath is constructing high-density AI-grade network infrastructure in Colombus, OH. The underground high-fiber count network deployment project spanning 102 route miles is supported by a prominent hyperscaler partner. With a 1.8 GW of operational capacity, the Columbus region is the third largest data center ecosystem in the Americas. Moreover, an additional 3 GW capacity is under construction.
Growing usage of high bandwidth-intensive applications and AI proliferation across industries demands high-capacity data centers to manage large workloads. Hyperscalers that operate such massive-scale data centers need a robust network infrastructure to ensure the optimum functionality of these data centers. Lightpath’s network portfolio is well-equipped to address these requirements.
Following the recent deployment in Colombus, Lightpath will offer a comprehensive network infrastructure and connectivity services, including high-count dark fiber, conduit services, wavelengths up to 800 Gbps, Ethernet, Internet, and more. Access to such capabilities will be a game changer for enterprises, educators, governments, carriers, and wireless providers operating in the region. The Colombus network project is steadily advancing, and it includes multi-conduit systems connecting two data centers south of Colombus downtown to the metro corridor. The projects are expected to be completed by mid-2026.
Will This Deployment Drive ATUS’ Share Performance?
Alitice Lightpath has accelerated the pace of AI-grade network infrastructure expansion across several regions. The company acquired WANRack's network assets and entered the Phoenix market in February 2025. The acquisition of United Fiber and Data assets has also bolstered its infrastructure capabilities. Such strategic acquisitions and network expansion reflect Lightpath’s strategy to capitalize on the growing digital infrastructure demand across data center ecosystems.
Lightpath has witnessed healthy traction from AI-driven demand for scalable infrastructure for seamless broadband connectivity. With $110 million worth of AI-driven digital infrastructure sales to hyperscalers in 2024 and an order pipeline of about $1 billion, the company is well-positioned to gain from solid AI traction. This will likely be a key growth driver for its parent company, Altice.
ATUS’ Stock Price Movement
Shares of Altice have gained 1.2% over the past year compared with the industry’s growth of 30.7%.
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