Great Plains Communications (GPC) is honored to collaborate with exceptional partners as we drive digital innovation. One of GPC’s partners is 1623 Farnam, a leading interconnection hub in the central U.S. for fiber and wireless network providers, Cloud and content delivery networks (CDNs) and Fortune 500 enterprises. 1623 Farnam also hosts the most geographically centered Internet Exchange in the U.S., the Omaha Internet Exchange (IX).
In our latest blog, we share insights from Matt Reed, VP of Business Development at 1623 Farnam on the future of communication, interconnection and digital infrastructure. Matt has over 20 years of leadership experience in operations, network engineering and wholesale carrier sales within the telecommunications industry.
Q: What challenge were you facing before you started working with GPC and how has GPC helped?
Matt: The 1623 Farnam building was established as a data center in 2012, and GPC was one of the first companies to move into the 3rd-floor data hall. As an interconnection facility, the absence of high-capacity, diverse networks like GPC’s can lead to significant challenges for both end users and content providers. GPC addresses this gap with its fiber-dense regional network, enhancing interconnection and providing lower latency and better overall performance for end users, networks and content providers.
Q: How do GPC and 1623 Farnam help customers — from small businesses to enterprises — achieve low latency, reliability and scalability? Why is low latency so important?
Matt: Hyperscale providers and content providers drive interconnection within the data center, our customers gain enhanced network performance. Latency is vital for several reasons, including user experience, performance, competitive advantage, essential applications and scalability. GPC’s fiber network enables end users to connect directly to the Cloud through 1623 Farnam to deliver low latency for improved application performance.
Q: 2024 brought AI to the forefront, which increased communications needs. What’s next in 2025 and beyond?
Matt: The continued evolution of AI will drive significant changes in interconnection facilities and fiber networks, emphasizing the need for advanced infrastructure to support these innovations. Latency will play an even more crucial role. As AI applications demand faster and more efficient data processing, minimizing latency will be essential to ensure optimal performance and improved user experience. This will require continuous network technology and infrastructure advancements to keep pace with AI’s rapid development.
Q: Does Nebraska’s central location in the U.S. impact connectivity?
Matt: Absolutely! Being centrally located, Nebraska serves as a natural hub for data traffic moving between the East and West coasts, border to border. This can reduce latency and improve data transfer speeds across the country. Nebraska’s location also contributes to network resiliency. By serving as a central node, it can provide alternative routing options in case of network disruptions elsewhere. Additionally, broadband initiatives aim to ensure rural areas in the Midwest, like Nebraska, have access to reliable broadband and connectivity, closing the digital divide gap.
Q: What is the advantage of 1623 Farnam as an edge data center?
Matt: 1623 Farnam benefits from its central position in the U.S., serving as a natural hub for data traffic nationwide. Edge data centers like 1623 Farnam are indispensable for modern data processing needs, providing reduced latency, enhanced security, bandwidth optimization, scalability and support for emerging technologies. It also enables customers to connect directly to the Cloud and hyperscalers.
Q: How are hyperscalers connected?
Matt: Hyperscalers, or the large-scale data centers and Cloud service providers, such as Amazon Web Services and Google Cloud, use a combination of advanced infrastructure and strategic connectivity to deliver data efficiently. By utilizing massive data centers and private fiber backbone networks, hyperscaler companies establish interconnection points where their networks converge with other networks.
Q: Is it time to talk about #6G yet?
Matt: Yes, it’s definitely time to start discussing 6G. While still in the early stages of development, 6G is anticipated to deliver substantial advancements beyond 5G. However, to realize its potential, developing and deploying 6G will require ongoing improvements in network technology and infrastructure.
Q: Tell us more about the importance of the Omaha Internet Exchange (IX).
Matt: Our traffic has nearly doubled in the Omaha Internet Exchange (IX). As part of that Exchange, GPC provides improved user experiences at a lower cost. Access to these cross-country routes has enabled GPC to not only provide customers with unmatched connectivity but also scalable bandwidth as needed while avoiding network congestion.
Interested in learning more? Great Plains Communications and 1623 Farnam will be attending ITW 2025. Let’s connect.