Nextlink Internet, a fast-growing ISP serving nearly 100,000 customers across 11 states in the rural Heartland of America, deployed IP Infusion’s OcNOS Service Provider and Data Center software on Edgecore hardware in production. The platform supports middle-mile transport, site router switching, and core data center operations as Nextlink expands affordable broadband to underserved communities.
The Challenge
Headquartered in Texas, Nextlink delivers high-speed fixed wireless and fiber-optic internet to residential, commercial, education, and public sector customers across the Midwest, Great Plains, and beyond. Scaling that footprint required a transport and aggregation layer that could grow cost-effectively, stay aligned with open standards, and integrate with the operator’s existing automation tooling without sacrificing performance.
The Solution
Nextlink selected OcNOS SP and OcNOS DC running on Edgecore open hardware to modernize transport aggregation, site router switching, and core data center operations. The combination delivers advanced traffic engineering on disaggregated infrastructure that fits Nextlink’s broader strategy of blending traditional and open architectures.
- OcNOS enables Segment Routing (SR), MPLS, and ISIS for transport and aggregation
- Edgecore open hardware platforms support 100G and 400G interfaces
- NETCONF/YANG integration ties OcNOS into Nextlink’s network automation tools
Outcomes
OcNOS and Edgecore are now part of Nextlink’s production environment supporting middle-mile and data center transport. The deployment gives Nextlink the flexibility, open-standards support, and cost structure it needs to continue expanding broadband across 11 states while maintaining operational agility.
Cameron Kilton, Chief Technology Officer at Nextlink Internet: “IP Infusion’s OcNOS software, paired with Edgecore hardware, is now part of our production environment supporting middle-mile and data center transport. In these targeted use cases, the platform’s flexibility, support for open standards, and cost structure align well with our goals to expand broadband access throughout the Heartland while maintaining operational agility and performance.”
Why OcNOS
OcNOS lets Nextlink disaggregate its network, optimize performance, and reduce total cost of ownership while keeping the door open to combine traditional and open architectures across rural service areas. The result is a transport and data center foundation built to scale alongside Nextlink’s commitment to closing the digital divide.