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Happy Fourth of July – The History of Independence Day

NJFX Blog /

Happy 4th of July

The history of independence day and the traditions

PUBLISHED JULY 3, 2023  MIN READ
Source from Hisory Channel

The Fourth of July—also known as Independence Day or July 4th—has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 to the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues. The Fourth of July 2023 is on Tuesday, July 4.

History of Independence Day

 When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in the bestselling pamphlet “Common Sense,” published by Thomas Paine in early 1776.

On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies’ independence.

Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee’s resolution, but appointed a five-man committee—including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York—to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain.

Read more about 7 Events That Enraged Colonists and Led to the American Revolution

On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee’s resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 “will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival” and that the celebration should include “Pomp and Parade…Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other.”

On July 4th, the Continental Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.

Early Fourth of July Celebrations and Traditions  

In the pre-Revolutionary years, colonists had held annual celebrations of the king’s birthday, which traditionally included the ringing of bells, bonfires, processions and speechmaking. By contrast, during the summer of 1776 some colonists celebrated the birth of independence by holding mock funerals for King George III as a way of symbolizing the end of the monarchy’s hold on America and the triumph of liberty.

Festivities including concerts, bonfires, parades and the firing of cannons and muskets usually accompanied the first public readings of the Declaration of Independence, beginning immediately after its adoption. Philadelphia held the first annual commemoration of independence on July 4, 1777, while Congress was still occupied with the ongoing war.

George Washington issued double rations of rum to all his soldiers to mark the anniversary of independence in 1778, and in 1781, several months before the key American victory at the Battle of Yorktown, Massachusetts became the first state to make July 4th an official state holiday.

After the Revolutionary War, Americans continued to commemorate Independence Day every year, in celebrations that allowed the new nation’s emerging political leaders to address citizens and create a feeling of unity. By the last decade of the 18th century, the two major political parties—the Federalist Party and Democratic-Republicans—that had arisen began holding separate Fourth of July celebrations in many large cities.

Fourth of July Fireworks

The first fireworks were used as early as 200 BC. The tradition of setting off fireworks on the 4 of July began in Philadelphia on July 4, 1777, during the first organized celebration of Independence Day. Ship’s cannon fired a 13-gun salute in honor of the 13 colonies. The Pennsylvania Evening Post reported: “at night there was a grand exhibition of fireworks (which began and concluded with thirteen rockets) on the Commons, and the city was beautifully illuminated.” That same night, the Sons of Liberty set off fireworks over Boston Common.

Fourth of July Becomes a Federal Holiday

The tradition of patriotic celebration became even more widespread after the War of 1812, in which the United States again faced Great Britain. In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday; in 1941, the provision was expanded to grant a paid holiday to all federal employees.

Over the years, the political importance of the holiday would decline, but Independence Day remained an important national holiday and a symbol of patriotism.

Falling in mid-summer, the Fourth of July has since the late 19th century become a major focus of leisure activities and a common occasion for family get-togethers, often involving fireworks and outdoor barbecues. The most common symbol of the holiday is the American flag, and a common musical accompaniment is “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the national anthem of the United Stat

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Juneteenth is America’s second Independence Day

NJFX Blog /

Juneteenth is America’s second Independence Day—here’s why

Observed on June 19, the nation’s newest federal holiday commemorates the end of slavery in Texas. Here’s how it came to be celebrated nationwide.

PUBLISHED JUNE 12, 2023 6 MIN READ

Juneteenth is known to some in the United States as the country’s “second Independence Day.” Observed each year on June 19, the holiday marks the end of slavery in Texas at the end of the Civil War. 

For more than 150 years, African American communities across the country have observed this holiday—from social gatherings in Emancipation Parks to church services and other events. But Juneteenth has increasingly been celebrated nationwide; in 2021 it became the first new federal holiday since the establishment of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983. How did that happen? Here’s a look at the history of Juneteenth.

What does Juneteenth actually celebrate?

At the stroke of midnight on January 1, 1863, the Emancipation Proclamation came into effect and declared enslaved people in the Confederacy free—on the condition that the Union won the war. The proclamation turned the war into a fight for freedom and by the end of the war 200,000 Black soldiers had joined the fight, spreading news of freedom as they fought their way through the South. 

Since Texas was one of the last strongholds of the South, emancipation would be a long-time coming for enslaved people in the state. Even after the last battle of the Civil War was fought in 1865—a full two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed—it is believed that many enslaved people still did not know they were free. As the story goes, some 250,000 enslaved people only learned of their freedom after Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865, and announced that the president had issued a proclamation freeing them. 

On that day, Granger declared, “The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor.”

How is Juneteenth celebrated?

With Granger’s announcement, June 19—which would eventually come to be known as Juneteenth—became a day to celebrate the end of slavery in Texas. As newly freed Texans began moving to neighboring states, Juneteenth celebrations spread across the South and beyond.

Early Juneteenth celebrations included church services, public readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, and social events like rodeos and dances. 

For decades, many southern Black communities were forced to celebrate Juneteenth on the outskirts of town due to racism and Jim Crow laws. To ensure they had a safe place to gather, Juneteenth groups would often collectively purchase plots of land in the city on which to celebrate. These parks were commonly named Emancipation Parks, many of which still exist today.

As the civil rights movement gained momentum in the 1960s, Juneteenth celebrations faded. In recent years, however, Juneteenth has regained popularity and is often celebrated with food and community. It also has helped raise awareness about ongoing issues facing the African-American community, including a political fight for reparations, or compensation, to the descendants of victims of slavery.

How did Juneteenth become a federal holiday?

In 1980, Texas became the first state to recognize June 19 as a state holiday, which it did with legislation. 

Juneteenth gained awareness in recent years as activists have pushed for state and federal recognition. Today, Juneteenth is recognized by nearly every state, and it is a public holiday in more than half of them, meaning that government offices are closed.

In 2021, efforts to gain federal recognition for Juneteenth finally came to fruition when U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that officially designates Juneteenth a U.S. federal holiday. 

 Juneteenth the same as Emancipation Day?

Despite the holiday’s resurgence in popularity, Juneteenth is often confused with Emancipation Day, which is annually celebrated on April 16.

Just as Juneteenth originally celebrated freedom in Texas, Emancipation Day specifically marks the day when President Lincoln freed some 3,000 enslaved people in Washington, D.C.—a full eight months before the Emancipation Proclamation and nearly three years before those in Texas would be freed.

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Pioneering as a Carrier-Neutral Colocation CLS, Nurturing Young Leaders, and Fostering a Diverse Ecosystem

NJFX Blog /

Pioneering as a Carrier-Neutral Colocation CLS, Nurturing Young Leaders, and Fostering a Diverse Ecosystem

The company’s commitment to nurturing young leaders and creating a diverse ecosystem has been instrumental in driving innovation, connectivity, and inclusivity.

June 8, 2023

Since our launch in 2015 as the first carrier-neutral colocation Cable Landing Station (CLS) in North America, NJFX has achieved remarkable growth and development in the telecommunications industry. Notably, NJFX has made significant progress during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic. Alongside being the first of its kind, NJFX has actively pushed young leaders into the industry and fostered a diverse ecosystem, contributing to innovation, connectivity, and inclusivity.

NJFX has played a pivotal role in nurturing young talent and propelling them into the telecommunications industry. Through various initiatives and internships, NJFX has empowered aspiring professionals to develop the skills necessary to succeed in this evolving industry. NJFX is proud to see all of our interns continue to grow their professional careers within telecoms, as we all reunited at ITW 2023. By investing in the next generation, NJFX has helped shape the future of the industry, enabling young leaders to make significant contributions and drive innovation.

Amidst the unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, NJFX has demonstrated resilience and adaptability. With its robust infrastructure and commitment to uninterrupted service, NJFX played a critical role in ensuring seamless connectivity for our customers during these uncertain times. The company’s dedication to maintaining operational excellence has helped support the global digital infrastructure and fostered continuity for various sectors relying on secure and reliable connectivity.

NJFX’s distinction as the first carrier-neutral colocation CLS has been instrumental in revolutionizing the industry. We are strategically positioned with direct access to four submarine cable systems,  attracting major US and international carriers, content providers, and enterprises to our campus. NJFX’s commitment to community engagement further amplifies the positive impact of this growth, ensuring it reaches and benefits communities near and far.

A core aspect of NJFX’s success lies in its dedication to creating a diverse ecosystem. NJFX has established itself as a trailblazer by creating a diverse ecosystem that bypasses traditional telecommunication hubs like New York and Miami. With its strategic location at a key landing point for submarine cable systems, NJFX offers a direct, low-latency connection between North America, Europe, and South America. By bypassing the congested routes and potential points of failure associated with traditional hubs, NJFX has become a game-changer, providing enterprises, carriers, and content providers with unparalleled connectivity options.

We like to reflect on the last three years and see how much NJFX, our customers, and employees have grown. NJFX has maintained its commitment to providing reliable connectivity and supporting digital infrastructure. By pushing young leaders into the industry and cultivating a diverse ecosystem, NJFX has fostered innovation, connectivity, and inclusivity, solidifying its position as a leader in the telecommunications industry.

Watch The Growth of NJFX

YouTube
Virtual Interview with JASA 2020
Vimeo
Virtual Tour of NJFX 2020
Dailymotion
Gil Santaliz Interview with JSA at ITW 2023

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Safeguarding Connectivity 2023 Hurricane Preparedness

NJFX Blog /

Safeguarding Connectivity: 2023 Hurricane Season

NJFX is Built purpose and always prepared

June 5, 2023

NOAA 2023 Hurricane News Release

As 2023 hurricane season approaches, it is crucial for organizations in hurricane-prone regions to review their disaster preparedness. NJFX, the first Tier III carrier neutral colocation CLS in New Jersey, plays a vital role in global connectivity as a key interconnection hub, ensuring hurricane preparedness is of paramount importance.

NOAA has predicted 12 to 17 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher).

We would like to highlight the measures taken by NJFX to safeguard its operations and infrastructure against the potential impact of hurricanes during the 2023 season.

Redundant Power and Connectivity in Built Purpose Facility:

Maintaining uninterrupted power and connectivity is crucial during a hurricane. NJFX has implemented redundant power systems, including backup generators and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) units, to ensure continuous operations in the event of a power outage. Built as a Hurricane 5-resistant infrastructure that includes N+1 indoor generators with onsite fuel for up to five days of uninterrupted emergency service. Our facility is equipped with diverse fiber-optic connections and over thirty network operators offering redundancy to mitigate potential disruptions.

Emergency Response and Communication:

NJFX has a well-defined emergency response plan in place, including clear communication protocols to efficiently disseminate information during a hurricane. DHS (Department of Homeland Security) 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.  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.

Employee Training and Safety:

NJFX recognizes that well-trained employees are vital to maintaining a safe and secure environment during a hurricane. Continuous training sessions are conducted to educate staff members on emergency protocols, evacuation procedures, and the use of safety equipment. By empowering employees with knowledge and skills, NJFX fosters a culture of preparedness and safety.

Hurricanes pose a significant threat to coastal regions, and NJFX is committed to prioritizing hurricane preparedness to protect its operations and ensure minimal disruption to its customers.  Through a proactive and dedicated approach to disaster preparedness, NJFX sets an example for other organizations in hurricane-prone areas, emphasizing the importance of safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring the safety and resilience of their operations.

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Colt Announces Strategic Expansion to US Infrastructure

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Colt Announces Strategic Expansion to US Infrastructure

NJFX data centre and new subsea Cable Landing Station expand Colt’s transatlantic capabilities and offer businesses greater choice and flexibility

 

London, UK – Colt Technology Services (Colt), the digital infrastructure company, today announced the expansion of its US capabilities with the connection of a new data centre and subsea Cable Landing Station (CLS), NJFX, in New Jersey, US to its Colt IQ Network. This latest extension is part of Colt’s continued investment into its North American infrastructure. The new transatlantic route – now fully open – gives businesses greater choice, security and flexibility as they seamlessly connect economic and commercial hubs in Europe and the US across Colt’s award-winning digital infrastructure.

The expansion complements Colt’s existing US network capabilities, particularly extending its New York data centre metro ring to NJFX, offering new Atlantic subsea route options. Colt can deliver on-net services to tenants at NJFX with immediate effect. A new high-capacity, resilient backbone over Aquacomm’s Havfrue / AEC-2 cable from NJFX to Stellium Datacentres in Newcastle is a critical part of the expansion. Exiting in New Jersey rather than New York provides Colt’s customers with a greatly diversified route, crossing the Atlantic to access thousands of connected end points in Europe over Colt’s IQ Network.  Colt will also have ability to manage 100Gb services to Havfrue / AEC-2 landings in Ireland and Denmark as well as the UK, and access further subsea systems exiting NJFX to Europe and Brazil.

Colt’s deployment  makes it one of just a few non-US carriers with a direct presence in NJFX, and with key New York-located data centres on-net with access over the Colt IQ Network to NJFX.  The strategic move offers organisations such as capital markets firms and enterprises access to Colt’s wider portfolio of digital services and solutions, supporting their global digital transformation  journeys and helping them accelerate plans for growth.

Gil Santaliz, CEO & Founder of NJFX said, “With Colt’s robust infrastructure and extensive reach, our customers can unlock unprecedented opportunities to expand their digital footprint and achieve diverse objectives. Together, NJFX and Colt are revolutionising the way organisations connect and thrive in the digital age, empowering them to stay ahead of the curve and embrace the limitless potential of the global marketplace.”

Keri Gilder, CEO, Colt Technology Services said, “On both sides of the Atlantic and across the world, businesses must balance constant threats to security with the need to accelerate digital transformation at pace. It’s why there’s never been greater demand for secure, resilient, powerful digital infrastructure connecting the US and Europe. This latest expansion demonstrates our firm commitment to be the digital infrastructure company that the world’s leading businesses choose to connect with, and we’re super excited about the opportunities it opens up for our customers.”

About Colt Technology Services

Colt Technology Services (Colt) is a global digital infrastructure company which creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose.

Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to more than 60 offices around the world. The powerful Colt IQ Network connects 222 cities and 32 countries with more than 1000 data centres, 51 Metropolitan Area Networks and over 31,000 buildings across Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector.

Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and planet.

For more information, please visit www.colt.net

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Luminaries in Telecom “Architect of Sustainability” Peder Nærbø

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Luminaries in Telecom: "Architect of Sustainability" Peder Nærbø

Written + Edited by:

Kevin Ayerdis + Emily Newman

May 25, 2023

Hello and welcome back to Luminaries in Telecom!

Our May Luminary edition highlights an especially prescient leader in our industry. He has quickly built an outstanding reputation since he introduced himself to telecommunications in 2017. We are eager to share all we learned about his journey and what led him to the man we are titling, “The Architect of Sustainability” aka Mr. Peder Nærbø! He has brought awareness to our industry with his vast knowledge and passion for creating a greener world within telecoms.

Hailing from the principal port city of Oslo, Norway, young Peder’s professional career blossomed quickly creating many stepping stones that ultimately brought him to our industry. Peder admitted he was never fond of traditional education and only completed one year of college in London focusing on shipping (ocean transport). With eyes to the sea, he found a shipping job as a shipbroker that did not require a college degree. A perfect fit for young Peder, as this experience would become valuable and practical in growing his people skills. Over 8 years, he moved up the chain of command while becoming fascinated with collaborating alongside international clientele as he oversaw transporting steel products around the world. With his experience in more complex steel parcel shipping, he found it less appealing when the company changed strategy and offered in his words, “a very boring job shipping full vessels of cargo in bulk like coal, grain, fertilizer, etc.” With the unappealing job offer, Peder felt it was time to give college another try at the age of twenty-seven. However, his time back did not last very long as he reminisced, “The first day reminded me of what it was like being back at school, the second day was just to make sure day one was as bad as I thought it was.”

Eager to explore new paths, a friend recruited him to Acta Sundal Collier as a financial advisor in 1998. Through his position, he came to appreciate the value of real estate, specifically industrial real estate. As he stated, “Everyone focused on the beautiful buildings downtown where the high-rise buildings were in the Business District.”

“Nobody really wanted the low box sitting in the field with a lot of lorries in front…not very sexy,” Peder said. He thought differently than others and saw the potential to make very long lease contracts with these buildings. He started to pursue real estate and carved out a niche in industrial real estate bringing in long-term investments – not the glamorous high-rises others focused on.

A turning point came in 2005 when Peder recalls hearing the reports of his idyllic home city of Oslo “sitting inside of a fjord surrounded by snowcapped mountains” had the worst air quality of any of the capitals in Europe during wintertime. Traffic, like any metropolitan area, was an obvious issue but the true leading cause was the logistics with train and ship terminals next to the city center. The local government was shocked by this discovery and took decisive action towards sustainability. This included stopping the use of home heating oil, reducing traffic congestion, and establishing incentives for electric vehicles. Peder noted, “Nothing was being done for the logistics, the root issue. However, the logistic operators were already desperate to get out of the city, needing more space and modern facilities.” This was his opportunity to combine his background in shipping and real estate. “I started the company, Bulk Infrastructure, and worked with my investor clients to envision a more sustainable future for Norway. In doing so, I pushed the initiative towards moving logistics out of the city of Oslo.”

In 2010, having success with his first sustainability endeavor, Peder began receiving calls from potential clients regarding sites specifically for building data centers. “At this point, I had no clue what a data center was, I showed them everything I had, they left, and I never heard anything back! This happened three times. I said, wait a minute I have something here that’s interesting, but obviously, I did not have it. They didn’t come back and buy anything from me. They didn’t ask me to build a data center whatever that was, so I started studying the data center industry.”

Peder realized he could facilitate a historic push of data centers into Norway. The country was almost running on 98% renewable energy from hydropower, meaning the environmental impact of running such power-hungry demands could easily be met. Peder saw a chance to dive into the unknown again, combining his industrial real estate background with building and zoning for data centers. He began mapping out possible routes seeing data centers much like the cross-dock terminals and warehouses of his industrial real estate business.

Peder leveraged his skills and his newly found research about data centers to expand Bulk. He cites using his network of established contacts throughout his career, collectively teaming up with colleagues in the national rail and national grid sectors to solve the problem of the incoming emerging fiber networks.

“Norway has all this renewable power, but our early buildout in fiber was now more than 20 years old and had been chopped and changed for generations. We couldn’t provide continuous dark fiber over long distances, but this was about to change,” he said.

He created a ring structure in Norway to interconnect the coastline directly which unlocked some of the biggest surplus of renewable energy to Norway at the very southern tip of the country.

He envisioned building a large campus for data center companies to come together and build whatever they wanted using only renewable energy. The concept became reality, as it is the biggest substation in Europe utilizing sustainable energy, at 800 acres (or almost 3 square kilometers), and it is all interconnected with huge power resources. “We have a hundred megawatts on two feeds to our private substations and we have another 300 megawatts that we can tap into in 2026 when the national grid finishes a new mega substation on our land to interconnect new offshore wind with the current hydropower.”

In 2017 Peder found out that Google and Facebook considered building the first fiber cable from the U.S. to the Nordics in twenty years which later became known as the Havfrue cable. Through his vast network of connections, he found the right people to talk to about this up-and-coming project. Approaching both giants, he politely said, “I’m a real estate guy from Norway and I want to unlock all this renewable energy. I understand you’re going to build from the U.S. to Denmark and Ireland, can I please add Norway to the design of the network and become a partner and co-builder?”

They allowed him to build a Trans-Atlantic cable even though this was in a space that was unfamiliar to Peder. He jumped hard into this new venture. He was able to convince Google, Facebook, and later Aquacomms in coming on board to work on an agreement that aligned with all four parties – and so “we began.”

It took years of planning with some inevitable setbacks. However, with Google and Facebook being experienced buyers and builders in the subsea market, they made quick work of finding the suppliers necessary while Aquacomms brought the experience in operating these systems.

“I felt very protected within the group of companies we joined with, and the cable was then laid being the first cable to interconnect Norway with the U.S. and Ireland. This was a big achievement for me and my company,” he said smiling.

Peder reminisced on how impressed he was with the giant cable ship “Responder” from Subcom as it docked in Kristiansand where he got to go on board and look at all the facilities. “They had three tanks that each held 2800 kilometers of cable, enough to cross the Atlantic.  I remember being so impressed by the sheer power of the vessel for maneuvering rough seas while laying cable on thousands of meters depth with delicate tension control.”

Peder goes on and explains how the vessel uses a plow of 34 tons to bury the cable under the seabed, protecting it from fishing gear and anchoring in the North Sea as it crossed more than 70 other cables and pipelines like “threading a needle.”

He had the opportunity to pull the cable ashore with his brother, Erik, who worked on the data center campus. Peder thought, in the moment while the cable was in his hand, “My mother always said, do something you want to do, follow your passion and that is what we have always done. Two guys with no high education pulling Norway’s first trans-Atlantic cable ashore was quite a moment for me.”   

Later, Peder was key in terminating two other cable systems in the Nordic region, which also terminate into the Southern Norwegian landing in Kristiansand. Now there are several brand-new systems coming into southern Norway. Bulk started it all by building the backbone so that future cables could continue to land on the coastline and travel onwards to Oslo and Stockholm.

Inspired by Norway being a leading country in sustainable solutions, Peder explores to see where else we can tap to create a greener world. He explains that Canada has renewable power at a large scale with some of the biggest hydro plants in the world in Northern Canada, Quebec, and Labrador especially. “They also have a huge amount of hydropower that is untapped. Once you move power, you lose the efficiency of the power as you transport at a very long distance – a grid loss,” Peder said.

Peder said, “My ultimate plan is to interconnect large renewable resources in the Nordics and Atlantic Canada with fiber and data center facilities to play a vital role in clean renewable energy for data processing.” He advises everyone to ask, “How green is our data? Are you asking IT services what the CO2 footprint on your compute is? There are many renewable energy-fed data centers around the world, but they aren’t even a green dot on the map because they are hidden under layers of different products. If you ask these questions, this will help bring a rise to those data centers that are contributing to a greener initiative.”

As we close the interview, Peder talks about his move to the United States to be closer to the “Leif Erikson” cable project. His next trans-Atlantic fiber cable from Norway to Canada, the first with only renewable energy as a source. He also explains that over the last couple of years, the U.S. government and large shareholders are starting to put more weight behind sustainability and ESG goals. He added, “This is the green shift I have been waiting for and I see a great opportunity for my company to play a role.”

___________

Thank you again, Mr. Peder Nærbø for taking time out of your schedule to share a bit of your ongoing journey with us and the greater telecoms community! And of course, there is more to the story of “The Architect of Sustainability”, Peder Nærbø, that we couldn’t cover that we may revisit in the future. This concludes this month’s feature of Luminaries in Telecom. Please feel free to add to the conversation! Did you meet Peder Nærbø at the recent ITW? What did you take away from his sustainable business model/projects that benefit his company while also helping to improve the environment? Sound off in the comments below with any fun facts/specifics that may have been missed. For any suggestions about any movers and shakers in telecom history you think deserve a feature, send a message to [email protected]. Thanks for reading, until next month.

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Felix Seda Named Capacity’s Power 100

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Felix Seda Named Capacity's Power 100

Felix Seda, NJFX’s General Manager joins Saf Malik to discuss his many roles within the company, collaboration agreements and his work spearheading youth initiatives across telecoms


The NJFX Evolution Continues At Pace

 

Felix Seda, general manager at New Jersey Fiber Exchange (NJFX) has worn many hats during his tenure at the firm. 

Once dubbed the ‘Marseille of the US’, the company is an interconnection hub and subsea cable landing station operator based in Wall Township, New Jersey, founded by telecoms executive Gil Santaliz. Seda has been a mainstay at the firm, having joined in 2015 and remaining there ever since.

Originally, NJFX was established as a colocation hub leveraging the infrastructure of an existing cable landing station in Wall Township that was owned and operated by Tata Communications, but the business has since evolved into something greater.

In September 2015, NJFX announced it would construct a 64,000 square foot Tier III colocation facility next to Tata’s landing station, providing direct access to Tata’s European and South American subsea cables: TGN Atlantic and Seabras-1. Exactly one year later, NJFX launched the carrier-neutral colocation facility.

When Seda started in his role, he primarily worked on getting vendors contracted. “This included every vendor and carrier that we dealt with to get the Tier III facility up and running,” he says.

But as the business continued to develop his role started to change, and Seda and the team began having conversations with prospective customers.

During his tenure at the firm, Seda “naturally” moved into a chief revenue officer role, overlooking the entirety of NJFX’s revenue growth.

“I oversee pretty much all of our partner relationships with both existing and prospective customers to uncover and develop unique connectivity solutions,” he says.

This includes recent collaborations with the likes of Colt and Orchest.

Colt added a new point of presence (PoP) at the NJFX campus, allowing it to access the AEC-2 subsea cable and provide front-to-end solutions across the Atlantic, utilizing its own fiber assets on the European side. Orchest, meanwhile will give its customers on-demand last mile access throughout  Latin America via its automated connectivity platform.

Essential Connectivity

Seda says the Covid-19 pandemic accentuated the need for better connectivity. It also resulted in increasing traffic, and the best place to pick up that traffic is though a cable landing station.

“Not only is it going to be the best place to interconnect from an architectural standpoint mitigating additional points of failure, but it’s also the most cost-effective way because you’re eliminating the increased cost of backhaul,” Seda says.

Moving forward, the company is looking for investment opportunities.

“One of those opportunities is the Confluence-1 project, a new subsea system that’s going up and down the [US] East Coast,” he says. “It’s going to provide a diverse path from what is historically been along the I-95 (Interstate 95) corridor.”

This project and other of similar ilk, Seda adds, continue to highlight the growing importance of cable landing stations to the evolving landscape of connectivity. 

Youth Opportunity

Seda was named in Capacity’s Power 100 in 2022 and kept his place in the prestigious list this year. As a prominent voice in telecoms, Seda uses his platform to bring young talent into the industry, which he believes is the utmost importance. He has already played his part by spearheading several millennial-focused initiatives to encourage the education and engagement of young professionals in the industry.

In 2020, he created the Millennials in Telecom Reception at Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC), which aimed to bring young telecom employees together to network and engage with select industry veterans. Since then, this initiative has grown. As a member of the PTC Advisory Council, Felix was a founding member of the inaugural 2023 PTC Beyond initiative and helped establish a ‘buy one get one free’ program allowing nominated individuals under the age of 35 from member organizations to attend the conference for free. The initiative was a great success at PTC 23, which close to 50 nominees attending and becoming active participants.

Seda “absolutely” sees the telecoms industry as attractive youngsters. He leans on his own experience as evidence of this. 

“My CEO game me the opportunity to just learn everything, it was either sink or swim,” he says.

Seda says that since entering the telecoms industry, he has been able to build close relationships with people and companies that are doing fascinating things around the world. And he believed that is essential to bring in new blood and start getting them acclimated to the key conversations happening in the world on telecom.

“The veterans of the industry have done a fantastic job getting us to where we are now,” says Seda, “but at a certain point, just like any other industry, people get older and move on.”

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Gold Data Announces New PoP at NJFX Strengthening Connectivity and Diversity

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Gold Data Announces New PoP at NJFX Strengthening Connectivity and Diversity

Pay-As-You-Go Model Paves the Way for LATAM Interconnectivity

Sunrise, Florida and Wall Township, NJ – Gold Data, a leading Latin America network provider, is proud to announce opening a strategic point of presence (PoP) at NJFX, the carrier-neutral Cable Landing Station (CLS) colocation campus in Wall, New Jersey. NJFX offers customers on-demand access to redundant subsea cable infrastructure across the Atlantic to both Europe and Latin America. The partnership allows Gold Data to provide customers with a fully diverse global solution through NJFX’s ecosystem of network operators and subsea cable systems.

Gold Data relies on more than 156. strategic points of presence, diverse submarine capacity over 15 systems, technology development and our own award-winning network to offer complete end-to-end solutions to and from Latin America and the Caribbean, with dedicated service for multinational companies, global carriers, OTTs, and Hyperscalers.

In addition, Gold Data has announced Gold Data 1 Submarine Cable; the first cable to land in Mexico in 22 years. This new US-Mexico digital highway will offer the bandwidth capacity and the quality of services required by the market and will play a key part in empowering the fast-growing Data demand in Mexico City and Queretaro. Customers will soon have a new US-Mexico digital freeway that offers advanced services on the next-generation subsea infrastructure with the best latency. Our new PoP at NJFX gratifies customer solutions seeking diversity from overly dense infrastructure across the East Coast.

“We are looking forward to this new connection to the ecosystem of NJFX, to offer a better connection to the Latin American market,” Renato Tradardi, CEO at Gold Data Group.

Gold Data’s new presence at NJFX will provide NJFX’s customers with direct access to the new submarine network consisting of 10-fiber pair cable system that offers more than 250 TBPS of capacity with Geomesh Technology offering 100% underground terrestrial paths up to Queretaro, the main market of data of Mexico, also the connections with our backbone to all Latin American and the Caribbean. By joining the NJFX interconnection community, Gold Data and its customers gain direct, on-demand interconnection with Havfrue/AEC-2, Seabras-1, TGN1, and TGN2 and are able to leverage direct, low latency routes to major US business hubs avoiding legacy chokepoints.

“We are excited to have Gold Data’s award-winning network available at NJFX with its full array of services providing end-to-end solutions throughout Latin America and the Caribbean,” Felix Seda, General Manager at NJFX.

NJFX enables enterprise, content, media, government, and communications providers can take advantage of redundancy, decreased latency, and high-quality connectivity with fewer global points of failure thanks to NJFX. Through a physical presence and access to the Meet-Me-Room (MMR) within its Tier-3 CLS campus, NJFX ensures that each carrier network interconnection is designed and maintained with reliable architectural diversity. NJFX is home to some of the biggest and most cutting-edge companies in global networking.

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About Gold Data

Gold Data is a multinational information technology company which focuses on telecommunications infrastructure, we provide direct connectivity through the Americas and the Caribbean, interconnecting more than 156 PoPs, 76 data centers with a presence in 35 countries of Latin America.  www.golddata.net

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. For NJFX media inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

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Orchest Selects NJFX Connectivity Hub for Unique Offerings

Newsroom /

Orchest Selects NJFX Connectivity Hub for Unique Offerings

Pay-As-You-Go Model Paves the Way for LATAM Interconnectivity

Weston, Florida – Orchest Technologies, a leading provider of wholesale connectivity solutions and pioneer of network automation in Latin America, is now offering pay-as-you-go services out of NJFX’s carrier-neutral CLS campus in Wall Township, New Jersey. This move provides businesses with the flexibility to connect to the right network operator while avoiding legacy congestion points, such as Miami and New York.

Orchest’s pay-as-you-go model allows customers to pay only for the services they use with a minimum consumption commitment, providing a cost-effective solution for businesses of all sizes. Orchest customers will have free out-of-band signaling services, along with half rack specials to enable cost-effective points of presence (POPs) for LATAM networks with no recurring cross connect fees. Networks can scale their connectivity needs according to their budget, without having to worry about overpaying for unused resources.

“On-Demand connectivity opens incredible possibilities for different verticals or even carriers looking to expand into Latam while minimizing risk and cost of entry. With this unique offering we are introducing a new way to improve the traditional model, providing the right flexibility and dynamicity to scale resources as needed” said Jeremy Villalobos, COO at Orchest.

NJFX’s carrier neutral CLS campus offers a unique advantage for networks to interconnect while having direct access to multiple subsea cable systems, connecting North America to Europe, South America, and beyond. This direct access to global connectivity provides businesses with the ability to expand their reach and enhance their presence.

“Utilizing the Seabras-1 cable at NJFX, plus access to the other LATAM Subsea cables, via our 35 network operators creates diverse network connectivity and diversity from Miami,” said Gil Santaliz, CEO at NJFX.

Orchest’s pay-as-you-go services, coupled with NJFX’s direct connectivity options, makes for a powerful combination that can help businesses stay competitive in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

For more information on this exciting new offering, please visit NJFX.net and Orchest.net

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NJFX Helping Shape Telecom

NJFX Blog /

NJFX Helping Shape the Industry & the Importance of Getting Younger Minds into Telecoms

Customers who land in the 2nd Floor Meet Me room will receive a FREE Home Run Cable!

Gil Santaliz

CEO

May 9, 2023

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, the telecommunications industry plays a pivotal role in connecting the world and facilitating the exchange of information. NJFX, a leading provider of global connectivity solutions, recognizes this importance and has implemented an internship program to foster innovation and talent within the industry. Explore the significance of involving younger generations in telecommunications and how NJFX is spearheading this initiative.

Embracing Technological Expertise: Younger individuals are typically more familiar with emerging technologies, growing up in an era of rapid digital transformation. Their exposure to the latest gadgets, platforms, and applications gives them a unique perspective and expertise that can fuel innovation in telecommunications. 

Fresh Perspectives and Creativity: Younger minds bring a fresh perspective and natural curiosity to the table. This enables them to approach problems with a creative mindset, often leading to groundbreaking discoveries and transformative solutions. By engaging young talent, telecommunications companies can infuse their operations with the energy and enthusiasm needed to stay at the forefront of innovation.

Bridging the Generation Gap: The telecoms industry is in a period of transition with experienced professionals retiring. By actively involving younger minds, we can bridge the generational gap and ensure a seamless transition into the future. It also fosters collaboration between different age groups, creating a diverse and dynamic workforce.

NJFX, a pioneer in connectivity solutions, recognizes the immense value that young minds bring to the telecommunications industry. Their internship program is a testament to their commitment to nurturing talent and shaping the future of the sector.

Here’s how NJFX’s program is making a difference:

Hands-on Experience: NJFX’s internship program provides students and young professionals with valuable hands-on experience in various aspects of the telecommunications industry. Interns work alongside seasoned professionals, gaining exposure to real-world projects and challenges. This practical experience equips them with the skills and knowledge necessary to thrive in the rapidly evolving telecommunications landscape.

Mentorship and Guidance: NJFX’s internship program emphasizes mentorship and guidance. Our intern is paired with a dedicated mentor who provides support, advice, and industry insights. This personalized attention helps interns develop their talents, build confidence, and foster a strong professional network.

Exposure to Cutting-edge Technologies: NJFX interns can get to work with state-of-the-art infrastructure, gain exposure to emerging technologies, and contribute to groundbreaking projects. This exposure nurtures innovation and prepares interns to drive future advancements in the industry.

 

Building a Talent Pipeline: NJFX is building a talent pipeline that ensures a steady supply of skilled professionals to meet the industry’s evolving needs. By actively involving younger minds in telecommunications, NJFX, and other companies contribute to the overall growth and sustainability of the industry.

The telecommunications industry is at a critical juncture where innovation and adaptability are paramount for success. Engaging younger minds through initiatives like NJFX’s internship program holds the key to shaping the future of telecommunications. The fresh perspectives, technological expertise, and creativity that young talent brings to the table are invaluable assets in driving the industry forward.

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