Nokia ICE7 Drives 100 Tbps Optical Corridor Across the Midwest

Nokia, Aureon, and t3 Broadband have deployed a new ultra-high-capacity optical transport network linking a major data center development in North Dakota with the Chicago metropolitan area. The network is designed to support AI, cloud, and hyperscale data center workloads, with an initial deployment capable of carrying up to 100 Tbps and an upgrade path to 400 Tbps.

The deployment uses Nokia’s 1830 Global Express (GX) platform, Super C+L-band optical line system, and 1.2Tbps ICE7 coherent optics. The route represents Aureon’s highest-capacity network connection to date and expands the regional operator’s ability to provide large-scale data center interconnection services. The project was delivered in partnership with Kansas-based t3 Broadband, which provided network design and deployment expertise.

The companies said the project demonstrates how regional network operators can support emerging AI infrastructure requirements that have traditionally been associated with hyperscale cloud providers. By leveraging high-capacity coherent optics and expanded optical spectrum, the route is designed to maximize fiber utilization while providing a foundation for future AI-driven traffic growth across the Midwest.

• Initial network capacity: 100 Tbps
• Upgrade path: 400 Tbps
• Route: North Dakota data center development to Chicago metro area
• Optical platform: Nokia 1830 GX
• Optics: Nokia 1.2Tbps ICE7 coherent technology
• Spectrum: Super C and L-band optical line system
• Objective: AI, cloud, and hyperscale data center interconnect (DCI) connectivity

“This deployment gives us the capacity and flexibility to support large-scale data center interconnect requirements while establishing a blueprint for future expansion,” said George O’Neal, CEO of Aureon.

🌐 Analysis

As AI training clusters and inference facilities spread beyond traditional data center hubs, regional operators are increasingly being called upon to provide long-haul, high-capacity connectivity between new AI campuses and major exchange points. North Dakota has emerged as an attractive location for data center development due to access to power resources, available land, and growing fiber infrastructure, while Chicago remains one of North America’s most important interconnection hubs.

The technology choices are notable. Nokia’s 1.2Tbps ICE7 coherent optics and Super C+L architecture are designed to extract significantly more capacity from existing fiber infrastructure. Expanding transmission across both the C-band and L-band effectively increases usable optical spectrum, while ICE7 enables higher spectral efficiency per wavelength.