Industry recognition matters, especially when it validates years of strategic investment, bold decision-making, and customer-first innovation. Zayo is proud to be named Network Innovator of the Year by theCUBE, one of the most respected voices in enterprise technology.
This award recognizes B2B tech companies that demonstrate breakthrough innovation in networking technology or infrastructure to improve connectivity, performance, and reliability for enterprise customers. For Zayo, it’s proof that our vision for the future of networking infrastructure is not only ambitious, but exactly what the market needs.
What It Means to Be a Network Innovator
The Network Innovator of the Year award isn’t handed out lightly; it’s reserved for companies that don’t just react to industry trends, but actively shape them. Winners must demonstrate forward-thinking strategy, measurable impact, and a clear commitment to advancing the way businesses connect and operate.
theCUBE evaluates companies across multiple dimensions: bold bets, competitive differentiation, innovative culture, ecosystem impact, and future readiness. Each category requires proof, not promises; and Zayo delivers on all fronts.
How Zayo Won: Building the Network of Tomorrow, Today
A Bold Bet on AI Infrastructure
While others waited, Zayo acted. Backed by research forecasting a 2-6X increase in AI-driven capacity demand, we launched the industry’s largest fiber expansion. By adding more than 5,000 new miles of long-haul fiber and agreeing to acquire Crown Castle’s Fiber Solutions business, we strategically expanded our network to meet future AI needs at a scale no other independent provider can match.
Building Where Competitors Can’t (or Won’t)
Zayo operates North America’s largest independent network, with 17.7 million fiber miles and counting. We are the only company to build long-haul networks at scale over the last decade, adding nearly 1.3 million fiber miles and reached 100% 400G-enablement on our core Wavelength network in 2025. This proactive expansion provides diverse, high-performance routes essential for AI workloads and next-generation connectivity.
Redefining Network-as-a-Service
Zayo is transforming network management with DynamicLink, our revolutionary Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform. Unlike other solutions, DyanmicLink offers extensive reach, comprehensive capabilities, and an AI-powered assistant, turning static connectivity into an intelligent, software-defined experience.an intelligent, software-defined experience.
Establishing the Future of AI Infrastructure
Zayo goes beyond building networks; we design what’s next. In partnership with Equinix, we introduced the AI Infrastructure Blueprint, the industry’s first architectural framework for supporting AI workloads. This blueprint provides a clear roadmap for integrating high-capacity networks and data centers, positioning Zayo as the network backbone of the AI era.
More Than an Award: A Promise to Our Customers
Zayo is dedicated to staying ahead of technology trends, providing a future-ready network designed for AI growth, cloud connectivity, and next-generation applications. With infrastructure investments made ahead of demand, Zayo ensures the bandwidth, scalability, and performance needed to drive innovation without limits.
Whether scaling AI workloads, connecting distributed data centers, or modernizing network architecture, Zayo delivers the foundational infrastructure to support your goals and keep you ahead in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Building What’s Next
This award validates Zayo’s strategy, investments, and commitment to innovation. It is a reflection of the hard work of every Zayo team member who thinks big, drives excellence, and wins together. For Zayo, this honor is also a responsibility and a reminder that our customers, partners, and the broader industry are counting on us to deliver the infrastructure that powers tomorrow’s innovations.
As AI adoption accelerates and digital infrastructure demands grow, Zayo is positioned not just to meet those needs, but to lead the industry in defining them. We will continue pushing the boundaries of what network connectivity can achieve to connect what’s next.