What is Dark Fibre?

The traditional meaning of Dark Fibre refers to unused or �dark� network

infrastructure that is a mixture of cabling, switches and repeaters. Data is
transported over optical fibre networks by passing light through the cables. If
there is no data being transported, there is no light � this means that the fibre
is �dark�. Dark Fibre is essentially optical fibre infrastructure that is not in
use.

dark fiber

Dark fiber is optical fiber infrastructure (cabling and repeaters) that is

currently in place but is not being used. Optical fiber conveys information in the
form of light pulses so the "dark" means no light pulses are being sent. For
example, some electric utilities have installed optical fiber cable where they
already have power lines installed in the expectation that they can lease the
infrastructure to telephone or cable TV companies or use it to interconnect their
own offices. To the extent that these installations are unused, they are described
as dark.

What is the difference between fiber and dark fiber?

Fiber is fiber, but when you hear �Dark Fiber� it means a carrier is making
available for lease fibers themselves within an existing cable. So, rather than
leasing a service between points of a particulat rate & format (like �1GE interface
with 300Mb/S bandwith�), you can lease Dark Fiber, which would usually be a pair of
unlit (dark) fibers. You then connect whatever you want to those fibers, whatever
speed, whatever format, whatever wavelength - from a single simple circuit up to
CWDM or DWDM systems.

So �Dark Fiber� is a product that some carriers sell to, usually, other carriers,
and is just unlit fiber between two or more locations. You put it to use as you
choose. They maintain the cable, right-of-way, etc.