Uniti Wholesale Accelerates 2026 Expansion; FastWaves™ Delivers 100G/400G in Days, Not Months

New data center on-ramps, key route upgrades, and the launch of FastWaves™ program to cut delivery intervals for high-capacity wavelength services.

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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Uniti Wholesale announced accelerated progress on its 2026 expansion plan, including new data center on-ramps, key route upgrades, and the launch of FastWaves™—a pre-deployed optical capacity program designed to cut delivery intervals for 100G and 400G wavelength services to less than three weeks on select routes. These initiatives expand the company's reach to critical U.S. data centers while pairing faster turn-ups with market-aligned pricing and strong service assurance.

Why it matters

Uniti Wholesale's expansion and FastWaves program aim to meet the surging demand for high-capacity transport by improving access to key data center locations and delivering wavelength services faster and more cost-effectively. This aligns with the growing need for multi-terabit capacity to support emerging technologies like AI.

The details

Uniti Wholesale is making a significant capital investment in 2026 to expand connectivity between major U.S. data centers, with approximately 20 new data center on-ramps and six major route upgrades and new routes. The FastWaves program features pre-deployed muxponders to provide excess line-system capacity across Uniti's ICON network, enabling delivery of 100G and 400G waves in less than three weeks on select routes. Phase 1 will activate 40 high-demand routes by March 1, with further expansions to follow.

  • Uniti Wholesale announced the accelerated expansion plan on February 18, 2026.
  • Phase 1 of the FastWaves program is targeted for completion by March 1, 2026.
  • Phase 2 of the FastWaves program will add 15 more routes early in the second quarter of 2026.

The players

Uniti Wholesale

A business unit of Uniti (NASDAQ: UNIT) that builds and delivers customer-driven dark fiber infrastructure and high-capacity wavelengths, ethernet and wireless access.

Greg Ortyl

Executive vice president and president of Uniti Wholesale.

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What they’re saying

“Customers need capacity where it matters, delivered faster and more predictably. With FastWaves and expanded data center on-ramps, we're compressing delivery intervals and simplifying how partners scale across the U.S.”

— Greg Ortyl, Executive vice president and president of Uniti Wholesale (bakercityherald.com)

What’s next

FastWaves orders begin the first week of March, and customers can view route availability and initiate quotes and orders through the iconnect Route Creator tool. Additional capacity will be released on a rolling basis as build and augmentation milestones are met.

The takeaway

Uniti Wholesale's expansion and FastWaves program demonstrate the company's commitment to delivering high-capacity wavelength services faster and more cost-effectively, addressing the growing demand for multi-terabit capacity to support emerging technologies like AI.