NJFX Blog

Trusted Middle Mile

Trusted Middle Mile

NJFX is The Trusted Middle Mile for over 35 independent network carriers on our campus

May 9, 2022

Wall Township, NJ –  The work-from-home movement has redefined where and how the Internet is used with video conferencing becoming a staple of the workday. When you combine that with cloud applications and the Internet of Things (IoT), we have become a more connected society with greater quantities of bits and bytes consuming greater amounts of broadband capacity. NJFX’s evolution since its founding in 2015 embodies “The Trusted Middle Mile” with its connections between subsea cables, U.S. terrestrial networks, Internet exchanges, global cloud, and content delivery network operators.  The Tier 3 purpose-built, subsea cable landing station now has 4 subsea cables operational and helping to connect over 30 independent network operators.

Today Multinational Banks, Global Cloud Operators, Tier1 Global ISP’s, US Carriers, and a variety of other networks use this NJFX Trusted Middle Mile infrastructure. AT&T just announced its addition of a network Point-of-Presence at NJFX, enhancing connectivity across the Atlantic Ocean and to Latin America.

Getting these independent network operators to install their Point of Presence using a variety of independent rights of ways takes years. Some come by land and others by sea, the ultimate network route diversity. Routes from Denmark, Norway, Ireland, the UK, Brazil, and the Caribbean use subsea access for their routes to NJFX. Zayo, ATT, Lumen, Lightpath, Crown Castle, UFD, Windstream, Aurelion, Epsilon, Zenfi, and Verizon designed their own independent unique terrestrial underground and aerial routes to insure resilience to our community of carriers.

Our NJFX facility has been designed and built with a resilience in mind security, physical safety, and redundant power supplies in mind. NJFX’s team is trained, coordinates with DHS/CISA for resources/information flow and supports customers 24x7x365 to troubleshoot network issues.

Today, NJFX’s role in supporting telecommunications has become more important than ever as more organizations – and consumers – connect with cloud-based applications, stream video and devote more activity online – all of which demand a purpose-built Middle Mile Infrastructure. Computing is increasingly happening in more remote portions of the world and depends upon the information to flow freely. Getting access to that data is all about the network, the middle mile which connects your home with the rest of the online world.

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

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LEGACY INFRASTRUCTURE BYPASS

Legacy Infrastructure Bypass

New Federal Grants Aim to Bolster Telecom’s ‘Middle Mile’

July 22, 2022

Wall Township, NJ – While most people associate take for granted how much the Internet has become embedded in modern life, the team at NJFX realizes the importance of the need for an updated telecommunications infrastructure and the vulnerabilities of legacy networks. The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications & Information Administration (NTIA) has launched a new grant program to encourage the development to improve the resiliency of broadband networks and improve access.

Working from home, streaming videos/gaming, and just about any aspect of commerce touches upon the Internet. The Internet of Things adds additional points of contact to telecommunications networks beyond computers, phones, and tablets. COVID-19 has considerably changed our lives and made the Internet a bigger part of them. We are shaping the Internet without being fully aware of the crucial infrastructure that impacts today and beyond.

Crises Drove Evolution of Data Centers

COVID-19 has helped accelerate a push to cloud computing and has revealed the need to improve the “middle mile” – the points of national and regional telecommunications networks that link-local networks. The global pandemic sent “information economy workers” home in 2020, changing how businesses will manage employees virtually. COVID-19 changed our understanding of working remotely along with an increasing expansion of the Internet while IoT still maturing. Legacy infrastructure, in lower Manhattan, is now supporting critical Internet traffic between ISPs in favor of cable companies and our U.S. wireless network operators. These legacy facilities are owned by real estate landlords who are unaware of how critical their role is in our society.

COVID-19, however, was not the only one to drive changes in telecommunications.

Back in the late 90’s, as the Internet was starting to become a force in commerce, most data centers were housed in brick-and-mortar office spaces with equipment fully accessible to anyone working on-site.  After the 9/11 attacks, the telecommunication industry realized data centers cannot be sitting in office buildings without security measures. New York City and the data flowing through it could not be the single point of failure for the business community. This began the journey of distribution and storage for shared data center space applications for computing. Equinix and a few other industry veterans started to create shared data centers that helped economically and diversified creating an environment with remote telecommunications infrastructure separated from employment buildings. The era of shared data centers shaped our country’s future of how we use the internet for the next ten years.

Even those changes could not overcome mother nature. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy slammed the East Coast affecting thousands of businesses and residents, cutting off electricity throughout the Northeast for days, leaving Lower Manhattan submerged during the height of the storm. The storm, which has been described as a once-in-a-700-year event, proved how dependent our global economy is on the critical infrastructure that is placed in lower Manhattan and Northern Jersey. The tragic events, since 2000, created a realization to diversify away from legacy points with subsea cables connecting Europe and the Americas.

A few years later, we started NJFX in Wall, N.J. NJFX serves over thirty carriers interconnecting Europe, North America, South America, and the Caribbean through the four subsea cables that are on campus. Today, Virginia Beach Cable Landing Station is working to expand the carrier community over subsea cables.  Technology companies, such as Google, Facebook, Microsoft, and Amazon, are also developing new subsea projects. Other landing sites and newer, higher capacity undersea fiber is helping to link global telecommunications networks, while building some resiliency to that “middle mile.”

Federal Grants to Bolster Middle Mile Infrastructure

The United States Government is aware of critical legacy infrastructure and needs diversification to build additional redundancy in the “middle mile.” Both ends of the middle mile are how users get to their applications through WAN services, private line networks, and cloud networks to shuttle information between destinations. The Middle Mile is becoming a critical part of how we connect with our remote workers, essential employees, and our families through various applications, data, and basic everyday functions that the internet provides.

The NTIA, which oversees the grants under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, is offering grants to technology companies and electric and telecommunications utilities. The grant program prioritizes projects that leverage existing infrastructure, enable connection of unserved communities, encourage the development of carrier-neutral interconnection facilities, and improve redundancy/resilience while reducing regulatory and permitting barriers.

“It is likely that NTIA’s final rules will permit funds awarded under this program to be used for a host of projects, including laying fiber to expand and extend existing networks, leasing dark fiber, connecting data centers, building wireless microwave backhaul infrastructure, and other similar projects,” the administration said.

To learn more about the Middle Mile Grant, click here.

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

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Emily Newman Hired at NJFX

NJFX Hires Emily Newman

NJFX Hires Emily Newman

Emily Newman

Marketing & PR Manager

April 1, 2022

Emily Newman Hired at NJFX

Wall Township, NJ – NJFX announces Emily Newman as our in-house Marketing and Public Relations Coordinator. Previously, she worked with various clients on projects that span from digital marketing, graphic design, and web development.  

We are thrilled to have Ms. Newman’s fresh perspective and her creative approach to connecting with our community of network operators. We took our time in finding the right fit for someone to join our team with a combination of enthusiasm, professionalism, and polish to represent our brand at NJFX said Gil Santaliz, CEO of NJFX.

The entire team at NJFX is excited to accompany Emily Newman on the journey to learn the dynamic subsea industry and build a powerful foundation for her and other young women in the infrastructure space. It was only 7 years ago when I transitioned from the Financial Services industry to NJFX and I see the passion Emily brings to our team and desire to be part of our industry, shared Felix Seda our GM. Felix has been a leader in our industry for Diversity and Inclusion and getting the next generation ready for new leadership roles recognized by his participation with PTC and the Suboptic in these efforts.

Ms. Newman graduated from Wagner College in Staten Island with a degree in Arts Administration and Marketing. She credits her studies with sparking her interest in digital media and marketing which led her to NJFX. 

“I am always looking for new challenges to educate myself on topics I am not familiar with,” Ms. Newman talks about how the telecommunication industry is a new and exciting venture she looks forward to exploring.

The move from web development to public relations has proven to be exciting for Ms. Newman. “In web development, it is normally me working alone with little communication. However, in the subsea industry, there is a huge emphasis on networking, continuous partnerships, and opportunities to learn from industry leaders.”

“As a young woman, I find this to be a massive motivator than a challenge to learn quickly from others and stand out as a leader in a male dominated field,” Ms. Newman explains how being a woman often makes her a minority in many of these conferences and at the office.

Ms. Newman has traveled with NJFX to Capacity LATAM and met many prominent women in the telecom industry and will use future opportunities to develop professional and personal relationships.

Say hello to Emily Newman at ITW, May 9 – 12, in Washington, DC.

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

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Insights Shared by Google, Sparkle, Lumen

Insights Shared by Google, Sparkle, & Lumen

Dive into this year’s Capacity LATAM session moderated by Gil Santaliz exploring new ventures in subsea cable systems

Gil Santaliz

CEO

March 15, 2022

Capacity LATAM 2022 Conference Fireside Chat
From left to right:
Gabriel Holgado, Cristian Ramos, Gil Santaliz, Federico Porri

Capacity LATAM 2022 Conference was live in Miami with industry leaders networking and connecting in person for the first time in over two years due to the pandemic. The future of exploring transformative subsea projects was the main topic of a discussion moderated by Gil Santaliz, CEO of NJFX.

Subsea Keynote Panelists include:

Gil Santaliz, CEO | NJFX
Cristian Ramos, Network Development Manager | Google
Gabriel Holgado, Vice President of Sales | Lumen Technologies
Federico Porri, CTO | TI Sparkle

Each panelist shared their challenges, benefits, and advice going forward within the industry. NJFX CEO Gil Santaliz highlighted key issues the subsea industry faces and how this diverse panel overcomes new challenges.

Capacity LATAM, which had 700 attendees from 40 nations, is made up of a diverse set of companies that cannot exist without each other. In the telecommunication industry, there are many forms of partnerships, projects, markets, and joint ventures.

“This industry relies on long-term partnerships. It’s important to have a commitment and trust on both sides. Both sides are taking a calculated risk and keeping open communication is key,” Federico Porri, Chief Technology Officer of TI Sparkle, said. “Being able to gain trust and maintain trust and long-term partnerships is super important to us. If those variables are there, we look to accommodate partnerships.”

Traditionally, consortium subsea cables to Latin America had many partners. In the last five years, the groups have reduced in size and some cables have been announced with just one owner. Firmina and Curie, both of which are owned by Google are examples of this new paradigm. The Firmina cable is going to be the biggest high-count cable in the U.S. and South America.

“It is a fascinating project. It is potentially equivalent to all the region’s previous subsea capacity combined,” Santaliz added.

“One of the biggest decisions we had to make was landing it in South Carolina. The other big challenges the subsea industry is going to start facing is how to start to diversify landing points and build more reliable anchorages,” Cristian Ramos, Network Development Manager of Google said.

Cristian Ramos added, “Another big decision was putting a 18KV PFE for a very long distance cable. That is the first cable that will have the technology built in and it’s how we can minimize the time to build. This cable will link Argentina to the U.S., but it will have connections to Uruguay, Las Toninas, and Praia Grande.”

When asked about whether Firmina is going to change the fiberoptic landscape of Latin America, Gabriel Holdago, vice president of sales at Lumen, replied, “It is a significant technological breakthrough for the region and the economy, the contribution having these countries being connected and getting traffic connectivity and content. The contributions are huge – a lot of opportunities and for the new generations there is a lot of internships and innovation.”

“There is a project called Confluence that is being built and it connects Boca Raton to Jacksonville, Myrtle Beach, Virginia Beach, and to NJFX in Wall, New Jersey. It’s going to solve a U.S. issue, we have already seen a lot of the banks talking about critical rings in the U.S.,” Santaliz said.

Santaliz asked, “Are there going to be any more of these projects we haven’t seen before that actually land in LATAM to be commensurate with all the new infrastructure being built?”

“There are a number of cables in the Caribbean area that are going to be the end of life in a few years and of course, Sparkle will be a part of all new development projects,” Federico Porri said. “When you see the development of the subsea system in the region the next step is how to get additional redundancy. You have the ability to add terrestrial over your subsea and over time create small rings. What I foresee is to continually develop the terrestrial and subsea infrastructure in order to not only get redundancy at those stations.” Porri added that the objective is to add capacity in smaller cities as an additional next step.

At the end of the conference, Holdago updated the conference attendees about Lumen’s  $2.7 billion sales of its Latin American business to Stonepeak.  The agreement includes reciprocal reselling and network arrangements to enhance each other’s fiber footprints, data centers, and network assets.

Holgado adds, “All the subsea systems, terrestrial cables, all the networks, cable station, the data center will be a part of this new company. We will announce a new company in Latin America and a new brand running the LATAM operation. It is a strategic partnership between Lumen and the NewCo in order to rely on the services that we both require on both regions and vice versa.“

At the close of the panel, Santaliz asked the audience about their preferences regarding where to hold next year. COVID restrictions prompted organizers to host it in Miami, but attendees seemed most enthused about bringing it back to Brazil.

 

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

Insights Shared by Google, Sparkle, Lumen Read More »

The Untold Secrets Of How To Market Millennials In Telecom

The Untold Secrets Of How To Market Millennials In Telecom

Execs Challenged with Drawing Millennials into Telecom
‘Googleyness’ as a virtue … skill development is paramount

Gil Santaliz

CEO

March 15, 2022

Miami, Florida — Tuesday, March 15th – Telecommunications executives — even those with the cache’ of Google — find that recruiting younger staff has its challenges, but getting close to younger employees and creating the right culture can pay off.

At the Capacity LATAM 2022 Conference in Miami in March, executives at a panel moderated by NJFX CEO Gil Santaliz lamented the challenges facing those starting in the industry are confronted with the limited contributions they can make for the first few years.  The need, however, is to develop the next generation of telecommunication industry leaders, Santaliz said.

“How does Sparkle get young adults indoctrinated into this industry and get ready for leadership roles like you have, so they are ready to take over when you retire?” Santaliz asked Chief Technology Officer Federico Ramos during the panel.

“A lot of people are retiring that have been working on subsea cables for many years and have full knowledge about subsea,” Ramos replied. “In Sicily, we are creating organized courses by an expert to share experiences of subsea cables. This was a good initiative within Sparkle, not to just have the experience — they have ways to hire young engineers, start training them, and put them on projects. I do not think there is a way to develop the skills other than working in the field.”

Gabriel Holgado, Vice President from Lumen, finds that proximity helps its approach with attracting new hires.

“Getting close to universities, showing awareness of the subsea market to young generations, and staying proactive on six-month-long internship programs by getting to know the company,” Holgado said. “We need to detect those talents you want to retain and foster knowledge into growth.”

Google, which has had its pick of talent over the years, has its own standards for hiring. “Main characteristics we look for are curiosity, willingness to know and develop, leadership, influence, teamwork, questioning of authority, and we want discussions. Mentoring and coaching are very important that will eventually impact new hires,” said Christian Ramos, Network Development Manager at Google.

To summarize the set of qualities that Google culture looks for, Ramos added, is called “Googleyness!”

Similar to Google, Lumen also has a modern culture that welcomes and allows people to take risks. “We emphasize making a decision, fail fast and move on,” said Gabriel.

Federico explains how Sparkle has its own way of developing new hires.

“We move them in different environments giving them opportunities to work in different areas. We have a very diversified environment in Sparkle and we use that to test our team members and see where they performed best.”

“Not being afraid to fail is important to everything you do in life,” Santaliz added.

 

Capacity LATAM 2022 Conference Fireside Chat
From left to right:
Gabriel Holgado, Cristian Ramos, Gil Santaliz, Federico Porri

Capacity LATAM 2022 Conference was live in Miami with industry leaders connecting in person for the first time in over two years due to the pandemic. The future of exploring transformative subsea projects was the main topic of a discussion moderated by Gil Santaliz, CEO at NJFX.

Subsea Keynote Panelists include:

Gil Santaliz, CEO | NJFX
Cristian Ramos, Network Development Manager | Google
Gabriel Holgado, Vice President of Sales | Lumen Technologies
Federico Porri, CTO | TI Sparkle

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

More In the News

Chile

Chile’s Digital Transformation

Chile’s Digital Transformation Gil Santaliz CEO Ryan Imkemeier Cable Landing Station Manager Originally published by Capacity Media on May 17, 2021. May 19, 2021 In March

Read More »

The Untold Secrets Of How To Market Millennials In Telecom Read More »

NJFX hosts threats and vulnerabilities briefing DHS, FBI & the Argonne Laboratories

NJFX Hosts threats and vulnerabilities briefing DHS, FBI & the Argonne Laboratories

Julie Johnson, Regional Protective Security Advisor at CISA, Discusses actions organizations can take to prepare for and respond to potential disruptive cyber activity

July 22, 2022

 July 11, 2022

WALL TOWNSHIP, NJ – Teamwork and trust among a hands-on workforce are fundamental to managing the operations of the cable landing station (CLS) colocation campus, given the complexity of maintenance and testing needed to connect telecommunications networks with undersea cables.

“When running a CLS and Colocation campus, it is crucial to understand the building and know-how your systems function. You should also not be scared to operate hands-on when needed, especially in an emergency,” NJFX CLS Manager Ryan Imkemeier said.

A Lasting Vendorship

Ryan Imkemeier emphasizes the importance of understanding what vendors are expected to accomplish and validating the maintenance was completed correctly. The vendors at NJFX are all on a maintenance contract schedule and come into our facility on a quarterly or bi-annual basis. This is dependent on the sort of work that must be done.

“I am lucky to have worked in this profession for so long; I see vendors I have known for 15+ years who I trust and who are knowledgeable about the equipment, so I don’t have to worry,” said Ryan Imkemeier, who noted that building a relationship among vendors is critical.

“When I initially began at NJFX, I went out of my way to introduce myself and create expectations for our vendors; generally, you have the same technician come to our CLS to maintain that connection,” Ryan Imkemeier said, “Ultimately, knowing the equipment yourself is critical so that you do not have to rely on vendors.”

NJFX Never Down

To ensure NJFX maintains the reliability to keep signals flowing across networks, the Operations team is in the process of installing an additional phase of electrical distribution. The team is working closely to make sure adding another 500 kilowatts UPS (Uninterrupted Power Supply) – increasing backup capacity goes smoothly.

The transfer from utility power to generator power takes about 15 seconds, during which time the UPS batteries carry the load, ensuring we maintain our resilience until the generator kicks on transferring the load. This ensures no interruptions of power to NJFX customers during a utility outage.

Ryan Imkemeier said, “Usually, a third-party electrical contractor would complete a project like this. We are better trained by doing it ourselves and are proud of the work being completed. There is no better way of understanding your systems than by installing in-house.”

Working With the Operations Team

Ryan’s experience spans far and wide when it comes to CLS. He has had the pleasure of working for large companies, such as TATA Communications and AT&T, but nothing beats the benefits of a small, smart team.

“The most significant advantage of working with NJFX is that you have a voice. You have the opportunity to share out-of-the-box concepts and run with them. You have full responsibility and the professionals to support and guide, such as Bala (Consulting Engineers), who designed NJFX,” Ryan Imkemeier said.

A smaller company can be beneficial from a managerial standpoint because you can develop interpersonal relationships with your team and learn what strengths they can bring to the table.

“After being in the field for so long, you begin to acquire new talents based on your experiences. When it comes to problem-solving, my team is fantastic,” Ryan Imkemeier said. “We can work together since we have vast knowledge, Kris is generally on the electrical side, Brad is strong in ventilation, heating, and cooling, and I am knowledgeable in the electrical and optical installation and maintenance. The three of us make an excellent Operations team.”

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

More In the News

Chile

Chile’s Digital Transformation

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Read More »

NJFX hosts threats and vulnerabilities briefing DHS, FBI & the Argonne Laboratories Read More »

NJFX Hits Five Year Milestone, Secures Itself as Vibrant and Crucial Interconnection Hub for the western Hemisphere

NJFX Hits Five Year Milestone, Secures Itself as Vibrant and Crucial Interconnection Hub for the western Hemisphere

NJFX continues to drive innovation and help its carriers and subsea provider clients build their networks with maximum diversity at both the terrestrial and subsea leve

Gil Santaliz

CEO

September 20, 2021

Wall Township, NJ – NJFX, the only Cable Landing Station (CLS) colocation campus in the U.S offering Tier 3, carrier-neutral data center capabilities, has reached a major milestone: the five year anniversary of the opening of its facility.

NJFX has experienced unprecedented growth since its 2016 grand opening, securing its position as a major hub of connectivity for the Western Hemisphere and beyond. NJFX is the only Cable Landing Station (CLS) colocation campus in the U.S offering Tier 3 carrier-neutral data center capabilities. Positioned at the eastern edge of North America, NJFX’s 64,800 square foot facility is strategically located 64 ft above sea level in a Category-5 hurricane-resistant building.

The CLS/colocation campus provides direct access to four subsea cable systems, bypassing New York City and Miami, interconnecting North America, South America, Europe and the Caribbean. The facility hosts 80% of major U.S. carriers – more than 25 in total. Additional connectivity options via two campus Meet-Me-Rooms means the NJFX ecosystem is low-latency, highly resilient and, fully redundant, with direct interconnection options for service providers, enterprises, carrier-neutral operators and cable companies.

NJFX Founder and CEO Gil Santaliz had the vision to create connectivity in a neutral environment at the cable landing station where competition could be fostered to benefit customers and collaboration could occur to increase connectivity and diversity for all. That vision has not only been realized, it’s being emulated.

“NJFX is smashing the model of what a CLS is – which is no longer a passive location serving a singular purpose. Getting away from the idea that it’s just a landing point that provides connection to a faraway hub for carriers, NJFX serves as a landing point that is the hub itself,” comments Santaliz. “This is being noticed by others as they plan landing stations around the world,” added Santaliz.

A delegation of officials from the South American countries of Chile and Ecuador visited the campus in early 2020 to learn more about achieving an optimal model of interconnection for future projects. Delegation member Natalia López is the Head of the Telecommunications Development Fund Division for the government of Chile, working to drive initiatives to improve Chile’s telecommunications infrastructure.

“We learned a lot about considerations for power, backup power, location and more,” stated López. “We found our tour of the NJFX facility enlightening and fascinating. It’s truly a unique campus with access to several subsea and terrestrial routes.”

Joe Scattareggia EVP, Wholesale, Windstream Wholesale, agrees, adding: “What used to be a passthrough today is an ecosystem. You’ve got cables landing, cloud services, carriers providing backhaul and internet provider presence. We look at these partnerships, what opportunities best offer us potential to sell our services.”

The most recent cable system terminating at the NJFXL CLS is AEC-2. “NJFX was chosen for its location, well above any tidal or weather-induced storm surges, for the safety and security of the landing. Also, for its position on key interconnection routes and for its ecosystems of interconnection partners, who can carry traffic from here across the length and breadth of the USl, avoiding more traditional pinch points in lower Manhattan,” states Nigel Bayliff, CEO, Aqua Comms.

Telia Carrier chose NJFX as a site for its terabit scale Point-of-Presence “We designed our architecture at NJFX to support high capacity and huge demand ahead for expanded network reach and resiliency,” said Staffan Göjeryd, CEO, Telia Carrier. “At the NJFX CLS, we offer maximum flexibility and extensions into the rest of the Telia Carrier global network and tie it into the recently announced expansion of the East Coast corridor where we added two new routes between New Jersey and Northern Virginia.”

“We were all big fans of NJFX right from the start and had faith that NJFX would build a unique and impactful CLS ecosystem. The investment we made at their CLS campus has really paid off.” stated Thomas Schemly, Executive Director, Telecom Solutions for ZenFi Networks “We’ve seen tremendous growth stem from our point of presence at NJFX. Their team has been a great partner for ZenFi as our services complement each other, and as such we are seeing a lot of new business coming out of NJFX,” continued Schemly.

NJFX continues to drive innovation and help its carriers and subsea provider clients build their networks with maximum diversity at both the terrestrial and subsea level, avoiding traditional bottlenecks and highly congested areas such as NYC metro and Miami. The company is proud to celebrate its fifth anniversary with its robust ecosystem of partners, carriers, and customers. For more information, visit www.njfx.net.

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

More In the News

Chile

Chile’s Digital Transformation

Chile’s Digital Transformation Gil Santaliz CEO Ryan Imkemeier Cable Landing Station Manager Originally published by Capacity Media on May 17, 2021. May 19, 2021 In March

Read More »

NJFX Hits Five Year Milestone, Secures Itself as Vibrant and Crucial Interconnection Hub for the western Hemisphere Read More »

Meeting Global Connectivity Expectations and Bridging the Digital Divide

Meeting Global Connectivity Expectations and Bridging the Digital Divide

Gil Santaliz Weighs in On the Energy, Submarine, Fiber Carrier Interconnect Panel at 14th Content Delivery Summit Conference

Gil Santaliz

CEO

September 7, 2022

CDS

With 19% of the planet still not having access to telecommunications networks because of location, connectivity is not globally distributed. Subsea and underwater cabling is the only way to ensure connectivity over a long distance across land and sea.

Bridging the Digital Divide was one of many issues discussed during the Energy, Submarine, Fiber Carrier Interconnect Panel at the Content Delivery Summit conference. This thought-provoking panel discussed the real-world availability of fundamental infrastructure services that underpin all CDN operations, and the complexities to consider when deploying POPs around the world. Gil Santaliz, CEO of NJFX, was a core player on the panel and was joined by

Andy Bax, COO, Seaborn Networks and Elsa Pine, Global Sales – Emerging Technologies, Edge Infrastructure for EdgeConneX. The panel was moderated by Dom Robinson, Director and Creative Firestarter, id3as and Contributing Editor, StreamingMedia.com, UK.

“The world is vast, but has gotten a lot smaller because of the strength of today’s underwater cabling systems,” commented Santaliz. Gil would know. NJFX helps carriers strategically diversify connectivity options to key hubs across North America, Europe, and South America, bypassing legacy chokepoints. The world’s first colocation campus that strategically intersects a carrier-neutral subsea Cable Landing Station meet-me room with an independent Tier 3 colocation facility, NJFX is also a member of International Development Telecommunications Union Development Sector (ITU-D), which aims to work with governments to bring internet access to 75% of the global population by 2025 and universal, affordable access by 2030.

Everyone on the panel agreed that all of these goals are lofty, and that collaboration amongst the entire industry is necessary to meet them. COVID-19 has escalated expectations for the entire telecommunications industry and changed the world as we know it. People now need real-time access to not only content but life-altering commodities such as education and healthcare. The challenge is bridging the gap between where we are today and where we need to be.

Be sure to watch this thought-provoking panel in its entirety to learn how NJFX is working with others and leading the way in building infrastructure for a technology-enabled tomorrow.

You can check out the full video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJRTy4-WEZo

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

More In the News

Chile

Chile’s Digital Transformation

Chile’s Digital Transformation Gil Santaliz CEO Ryan Imkemeier Cable Landing Station Manager Originally published by Capacity Media on May 17, 2021. May 19, 2021 In March

Read More »

Meeting Global Connectivity Expectations and Bridging the Digital Divide Read More »

NJFX Hosts Briefing with Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Partners on Strengthening Data Centers and Cable Landing Stations

NJFX Hosts Briefing with Federal, State and Local Law Enforcement Partners on Strengthening Data Centers and Cable Landing Stations

Securing National IT Infrastructure Requires Public/Private Partnership

August 30, 2022

Wall Township, NJ – NJFX, the only Cable Landing Station (CLS) colocation campus in the U.S offering Tier 3, carrier-neutral data center capabilities, has announced a partnership with the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to protect against and prevent cyber and physical threats in the future.

NJFX Site Access Manager, Mike Reverendo, is in direct and consistent communication with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and CISA to help provide crucial information about U.S. infrastructure. Recently, Reverendo and his team of interns utilized a tool offered by DHS to proactively evaluate NJFX compared to other critical infrastructure throughout the nation. Michael Beekman and Tiffany Antonelli, both in the Criminal Justice Master’s Program at Monmouth University, presented a detailed assessment to officials from local, state and federal government. This briefing assists these agencies with the key tools they need to assess readiness of organizations across the country – for example a process to review a facility’s power, cooling and core functions and how that facility can continue to operate if any or all of these functions fail. The presentation turned into a collaborative discussion with state and local law enforcement about how to proceed and further work together in the future.

“We got some great feedback from this briefing. The simple fact that NJFX was willing to coordinate and cooperate with officials was very much appreciated,” comments Reverendo.

“There are few organizations that work with DHS at federal level, out of a hesitancy that they will open themselves up to regulation, changes to protocol or even be forced to give up control. But this is not a ‘gotcha’ attempt by these agencies. They are looking for assistance and input from those of us in the industry who can help them where they need guidance.”

DHS was created after America was targeted by terrorists as an agency to secure the U.S. from attacks by “land, air or sea”. Today, the Department is also engaged in protecting our country from attacks via cyberspace. The CISA division of DHS works actively to assess threats and vulnerabilities in our nation’s IT infrastructure, whether they are manmade or natural disasters.

One of the goals of CISA is to defend against threats to our infrastructure and to collaborate with public and private partners to build more secure and resilient infrastructure to protect against and prevent cyber and physical threats in the future. To achieve that goal, CISA partners with private organizations like NJFX.

Recent examples of what can happen when that infrastructure is not protected include the ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline in April, followed by the biggest ransom demand to date – $50M – against Acer computers in May. These attacks made headlines. According to the University of Maryland, hackers attack every 39 seconds. That is an average of 2,244 attacks EVERY DAY. Those are cyber events. An explosion in downtown Nashville last Christmas significantly damaged an AT&T building, causing widespread regional outages.

DHS also helps protect critical infrastructure from natural disasters, like hurricanes. As peak Atlantic hurricane season looms, NJFX is secure 64-feet above sea level and outside the NY/NJ metro area, making it impervious to tidal surge and ideal for disaster recovery. In addition, NJFX is a CAT-5 hurricane resistant infrastructure with onsite generators with fuel for up to five days of uninterrupted emergency service. DHS works with facilities like NJFX to make sure telecommunications infrastructure is up and running in times of emergency, which is crucial for public safety communications.

“We value our relationships with these agencies, and we know it’s through close collaboration with all types of organizations that they can ultimately stay one step ahead of those who want to do harm,” concludes Reverendo. Expect the unexpected is a motto that the NJFX was founded upon, and the facility continues to operate with that in mind today.

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About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

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Spotlight on PCCW Global: Console Connect’s IXaaS Now Available at NJFX CLS

Spotlight on PCCW Global: Console Connect’s IXaaS Now Available at NJFX CLS

Enables new levels of flexibility and agility with remote peering

August 16, 2022

Long time NJFX partner, PCCW Global continues to drive value and increased capabilities to the NJFX ecosystem and beyond. After launching its Console Connect platform at NJFX last year, which enabled global on-demand connectivity, PCCW Global is now offering its new IX-as-a-Service (IXaaS) to global carriers and enterprises through Console Connect.

This new capability is available to customers at NJFX’s CLS colocation campus and offers access to leading IX platforms including DE-CIX, LINX, HKIX, SGIX, KINX and JPNAP. IXaaS offers easy, fast and flexible ways to order, provision and pay for IX services from some of the world’s largest Internet Exchanges (IXs).

“There are no limits to what NJFX customers and partners can do, and that dynamic is exemplified by Console Connect’s new IXaaS. Through the company’s unique MeetingPlace, users can connect, buy, and sell a variety of services including cloud, SaaS, UCaaS and IoT. This creates tremendous optionality and further enhances our unique CLS ecosystem by meeting increased demand for rapid provisioning of on-demand, superior interconnection services.” –  Felix Seda, General Manager of NJFX

IXaaS: Real-time, on-demand access to IXs worldwide

  • Directly order IX services and pay for connections to leading IX platforms in real-time
  • Experience high-performance remote peering with multiple exchanges across the world
  • Manage IX services and connections through a user-friendly web portal
  • Self-provision and pay for IX services and virtual connections in a few clicks
  • Multiple virtual connections can be provisioned via a single port
  • Directly interconnect with major cloud, SaaS and NaaS platforms including AWSAlibaba Cloud, Cloudflare, Google CloudMicrosoft Azure, RingCentral and more.

“We are excited to be introducing NJFX customers to our new IXaaS, transforming how they experience and access Internet Exchanges worldwide. What differentiates our remote peering solution is that it includes the dedicated layer 2 interconnection and the cost of the Partner Peering platform, enabling NJFX customers to seamlessly manage both their IX services and their connectivity from wherever they are located. And, of course, interconnections are on-demand and delivered across PCCW Global’s high-performance network.” – Michael Glynn, Vice President of Digital Automated Innovation, Console Connect

NJFX’s carrier-neutral CLS is THE place for your global connectivity needs. With four subsea cable systems and over 20 carriers, you have direct access to highly robust and resilient networking options – all in one place.

###

About NJFX:

NJFX is a Tier 3 Carrier Neutral Cable Landing Station campus. Our colocation ecosystem has expanded to over 35 network operators offering flexibility, reliability, and security. Our Wall, NJ location provides direct access to multiple subsea cable systems giving our carriers diverse connectivity solutions and offers direct interconnection without recurring cross-connect fees.

More In the News

Chile

Chile’s Digital Transformation

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Read More »

Spotlight on PCCW Global: Console Connect’s IXaaS Now Available at NJFX CLS Read More »

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