Digital infrastructure provider Zayo has completed its acquisition of the Fiber Solutions business from Crown Castle, marking a major expansion of its fiber network across the United States.
The transaction adds approximately 90,000 route miles of fiber to Zayo’s network. It also brings 40,000 on-net enterprise locations. With the integration, Zayo’s total network now spans about 224,000 route miles across North America. The scale strengthens its position in both long-haul and metro connectivity.
The acquisition comes as demand for digital infrastructure continues to rise. Growth in artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and high-bandwidth applications is driving the need for faster and more reliable connectivity. Enterprises are increasingly relying on fiber networks to support these requirements.
Zayo serves a broad customer base. This includes carriers, hyperscalers, AI providers, and large enterprises. The addition of Crown Castle’s metro and regional fiber assets enhances Zayo’s presence in key urban markets. These markets are critical for delivering low-latency and high-capacity connectivity.
For existing customers, the expanded network improves on-net access. It also increases route diversity and network resilience. For new customers, the acquisition provides access to Zayo’s national backbone. This enables better connectivity to data centres, cloud platforms, and AI ecosystems.
The deal marks Zayo’s 50th acquisition. It is also the largest in the company’s history. The company has invested more than $35 billion to build its fiber infrastructure over time. The latest acquisition reflects its continued focus on scaling network capacity and reach.
“As AI becomes more embedded in the global economy, connectivity needs are increasing,” said Steve M. Smith, Chief Executive Officer of Zayo. “High-capacity fiber infrastructure is essential. This acquisition expands our ability to deliver capacity where it matters most.”
The integration of long-haul and metro networks is a key part of Zayo’s strategy. Long-haul fiber supports large-scale data transport across regions. Metro fiber provides dense, local connectivity within cities. This combination is important for supporting modern workloads.
AI applications are driving changes in how data is processed. Workloads are moving from centralised systems to distributed environments. These require faster data transfer and lower latency. Fiber infrastructure plays a central role in enabling this shift.
Jeff Noto, Chief Financial Officer at Zayo, said the company continues to focus on disciplined investment. “We see strong long-term demand for fiber infrastructure,” said Jeff Noto. “Our strategy is to invest in areas that deliver sustained growth and value.”
As part of the broader transaction, EQT Active Core Infrastructure fund has completed the acquisition of Crown Castle’s small cells business. The unit will operate as Arium Networks. Zayo has entered into a long-term agreement to provide fiber connectivity to Arium Networks.
The combined value of the Fiber Solutions and Small Cells transactions is approximately $8.5 billion. The deal reflects a coordinated effort to expand both fiber and wireless infrastructure capabilities.
Advisors on the transaction included PJT Partners, J.P. Morgan, and UBS Investment Bank as financial advisors. Legal counsel was provided by Simpson Thacher & Bartlett.
