123Net in Southfield, a colocation, network, and voice services provider, has connected with Bluewater Regional Networks Inc., a network operator in Sarnia, to improve network speed, cost, and diversity for connectivity between the U.S. and Canada, the busiest and most crossed telecom border in the world.
The new network linking Sarnia, Ontario, with Port Huron and Lapeer provides a unique border crossing between Toronto and Chicago without touching Detroit or Buffalo, N.Y.. The new route further addresses the growing but underserved regional needs between Michigan and Ontario with new high-speed connection capability and local diverse access points.
For Michigan business, the primary data connection to Canada is via Detroit. At times, when data needs to be rerouted, it would most often move through Buffalo, creating a longer, more costly transit. The new connection between Sarnia and Port Huron opens a second border crossing inside Michigan. It will also be a benefit for Chicago and other Great Lakes states.
“The new connection with Bluewater both figuratively and literally opens the door for improved connectivity between the U.S. and Canada,” says Bob Evenson, carrier relations manager at 123Net. “Truly effective internet and data connectivity requires multiple, redundant pathways.”
With the new connection, Bluewater’s customers will have access to 123Net’s large Michigan network and be able to route traffic through the Detroit Internet Exchange, the largest fee free exchange in the world, housed at 123Net’s Southfield headquarters.
“When we built our new international crossing to provide high value disaster recovery capability to the global customers in southwestern Ontario, we were looking for a great partner who shared our core values to help us reach their U.S. locations,” says Chris Gould, COO of Bluewater Regional Networks. “123Net shares our drive to be the go-to resource for mission critical network operation in the region with both companies becoming stronger as a result of this new relationship.”
Protecting data moving across international borders is becoming more critical for businesses requiring shorter diverse route options between markets. It’s critical for businesses to partner with established service providers and maintain multiple connection points to enhance edge connectivity.
This connection is now live and available to Michigan businesses.
Bluewater Regional Networks Inc. was formed in 2016 to provide digital infrastructure in Sarnia-Lambton and complete connectivity throughout Canada.
123Net is an Internet Service Provider (ISP) that equips businesses with an industry-leading data center, network, and voice services. The company, which has a client base ranging from Fortune 500 firms to small businesses, operates one of the largest carrier-neutral data centers and peers with technology leaders such as Google, AWS, GM, and others.
