Zayo has announced an expanded supply agreement with Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) to secure fiber optic cable needed for its planned long-haul network expansion through the end of the decade, according to a press release from the company.

The agreement covers a significant portion of the fiber optic cable Zayo projects it will need to add 15,000 new route miles by 2030. That expansion includes more than 8,000 miles of new long-haul fiber being built in collaboration with Nvidia.

"AI infrastructure is changing where and how quickly network capacity needs to be built," said Steve Smith, CEO of Zayo. "Deepening our relationship with Corning gives us greater confidence that material availability won't stand between customer demand and the infrastructure required to deliver it."

Steve Mitchell, Senior Vice President at Corning, said AI is driving increased demand for fiber density across networks. "Our expanded relationship with Zayo brings together Corning's optical innovations with Zayo's network expertise to help build the physical infrastructure required for AI at scale," he said.

Troy Lupe, Chief Network Officer at Zayo, noted that long-haul construction requires years of planning, permitting, and materials. "Securing fiber optic cable supply through our expanded agreement takes one critical variable off the table as we execute our network expansion," he said.

Zayo currently operates a network spanning 224,000 route miles across North America, serving carriers, cloud providers, data centers, and enterprises.