Zayo announced a $90 million investment to expand its fiber network across Tennessee, aiming to enhance digital infrastructure, improve education connectivity, and support the state’s growing digital economy. The investment will bolster key fiber routes serving major data centers, hyperscale campuses, and underserved communities, providing critical infrastructure to meet increasing demand for high-bandwidth applications, including AI and cloud services.
The initiative builds on Zayo’s long-standing presence in Tennessee, where its education-focused division, Zayo Education (formerly Education Networks of America), is headquartered in Nashville. Zayo currently provides managed internet and WAN services to 94% of Tennessee’s K-12 school districts, making it the state’s largest E-Rate services provider. This new investment will further extend Zayo’s reach to rural areas and underserved regions, strengthening its commitment to bridging the digital divide while boosting infrastructure critical to economic development, education, and innovation.
The announcement comes as Zayo continues expanding its nationwide network footprint. Earlier this month, Zayo revealed plans to acquire Crown Castle’s fiber solutions business, and in January, the company announced a project to add more than 5,000 new fiber route miles to support AI-driven workloads. The Tennessee expansion is part of Zayo’s broader strategy to deliver resilient, high-capacity network infrastructure across the U.S.
• Zayo invests $90 million to expand and enhance fiber infrastructure across Tennessee.
• The project strengthens network routes for data centers, AI workloads, and rural communities.
• Zayo Education connects 94% of Tennessee’s school districts and will expand services to more underserved areas.
• The investment supports economic development, digital education, and AI-related growth across the state.
• Follows Zayo’s plans to acquire Crown Castle’s fiber solutions business and expand its national fiber footprint.
“Zayo’s $90 million investment in Tennessee is a testament to our continued commitment to bridging the digital divide and powering the state’s future,” said Michael McKerley, Senior Vice President, Zayo Managed Services. “As the leading provider of managed network connectivity for Tennessee schools—serving 139 of the state’s 147 districts—we understand the critical need for reliable, high-speed internet.”
