New 100-Gigabit Path to Denver is Live

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Map showing the connections between Des Moines, Omaha, and Denver for this 100gb upgrade

ICN has officially migrated to a new 100G path to Denver.

Iowa Communications Network (ICN) announces a full migration onto a new 100-Gigabit (100G) route to Denver, which enhances network stability. This project represents a significant leap forward in delivering faster, more reliable service.

The previous Denver path relied on a combination of four separate 10-Gigabit (4x10G) circuit connections from a previous vendor, running from Council Bluffs to the CoreSite Data Center in Denver. Those four connections often proved unstable, leading to network disruptions and outages. This instability was not acceptable for maintaining the high quality of service our users have come to expect.

ICN decided to solicit bids for a more robust and modern replacement. The team explored 25G and 100G options and found that a single 100G connection was not only higher in capacity, but also just as cost-effective as maintaining the four separate 10G circuits.

ICN’s solution involved a strategic partnership with Uniti and Great Plains Communications, with a crucial step in Omaha, Nebraska. With the new partnerships, ICN established a new presence, or colocation instance, at the 1623 Farnam Data Center in Omaha. This presence gives ICN a direct link to the new 100G path to Denver and increased Midwest peering capacity, allowing ICN to connect with other telecommunications carriers and service providers.

To handle the massive increase in speed, ICN upgraded network switches in Denver (CoreSite) and installed a new switch at 1623 Farnam, replacing the older 10G switch with a 100G capable switch. The 100G western path was fully operational in August 2025, and by the end of October 2025, ICN began migrating all of its data traffic onto this new, high-capacity path.

In November 2025, ICN officially sent termination notices and disconnected the four earlier 10G circuits. This new path secures network stability and also provides a monthly savings of over $1,000 in recurring fees.

Key Performance Benefits of the 100G Path to Denver:

  • 60 Gbps Transport Capacity Increase: ICN’s critical infrastructure for the State of Iowa has gained a huge increase in available bandwidth over the old 40 Gbps (4x10G connections) total capacity. This means a much greater ability to handle peak traffic demands.
  • Unmatched Reliability: The most significant benefit is the stability of the new 100G path. While the old 10G circuits went down often, the new connection has remained consistently operational.

This upgrade is a major step in ICN’s commitment to providing a faster, more reliable network for all Iowa users.