U.S. Southeast colocation data center operator DC BLOX has acquired the fiber assets of Light Source Communications and Ascendant Capital Fiber in the Southeast. This includes a unique dark fiber network connecting South Carolina and Georgia that is currently in development. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Following DC BLOX’s recent announcement that it is building a new Cable Landing Station (CLS) in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, this acquisition would position DC BLOX as a premier vertically integrated digital infrastructure, data center and connectivity provider in the Southeastern United States. The high-capacity, long-haul dark fiber route from the Myrtle Beach CLS to Lithia Springs, GA is now under construction. It will go through Charleston, Augusta, and downtown Atlanta’s key connection areas. Both the CLS and the terrestrial dark fiber cable will be finished in 2023.
As part of the dark fiber transaction, Light Source’s co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Debra Freitas, and co-founder, President and Chief Operating Officer Pete Empie, will join DC BLOX and will be responsible for continuing to drive the development of new fiber network infrastructure to support the company’s customers and facilities.
Mark Fortier, who was most recently Vice President, Technology Infrastructure Sales at FiberLight, has also joined DC BLOX to create carrier and hyperscaler alliances for connectivity and data center solutions. DC BLOX will get financial backing from Post Road Group, Bain Capital, and Ascendant Capital Partners, Light Source’s primary investor, to help speed the development of digital infrastructure across the Southeast.
“Pete and I are thrilled to join forces with DC BLOX, a company we have long admired that has been leading digital infrastructure enablement throughout the Southeast,” said Debra Freitas, CEO at Light Source. “This new fiber route will serve hyperscale customers and communications providers who need high-capacity, economical access to Atlanta from cities and counties to the East all the way to the coast. It will also benefit underserved rural areas across South Carolina and Georgia that are working to build out regional broadband networks for their communities.”
500-Mile Route
The almost 500-mile route from Myrtle Beach to Atlanta will transport high-capacity dark fiber and a duct bank for future cables, as well as serving as a diversified geographic route from Ashburn, Virginia, to the Southeast. Following the inauguration of its Greenville data center in January 2022 and the announcement of the Myrtle Beach CLS, DC BLOX is making yet another important investment in digital infrastructure in South Carolina with this project.
“The acquisition of these fiber assets and the capabilities of our new team members will provide DC BLOX a more comprehensive ability to meet the data center and communications infrastructure requirements of a broader set of customers across the Southeast region,” said Jeff Uphues, CEO at DC BLOX. “We look forward to the contributions and leadership of Debra, Pete and Mark to significantly expand our digital infrastructure services capabilities. Moreover, we are grateful for the support we have received from our existing investors, Post Road Group and Bain Capital, and welcome Ascendant Capital Partners, who share our vision and are instrumental to the successful execution of our ambitious growth plans.”
