DE-CIX beefed up its New York point-of-presence (PoP) in the iconic 60 Hudson Street carrier hotel.

Expansion of the PoP, which was established back in 2019, sees the internet exchange operator add a fourth location inside 60 Hudson Street, partnering with the QTD1 data center.

The apparently “quantum-enabled” site is the former Equinix NY8 facility, which it opted not to renew the lease on in 2021. Quantum To Digital (QTD) Systems acquired the Equinix space in 2022, turning it into a carrier-neutral data center and interconnection hub centered around quantum-ready infrastructure.

DE-CIX’s interconnect partnership now means networks in the building can reach DE-CIX's exchange platform from any of four data centers, with QTD adding to existing links to DRT, Databank, and New York Internet (NYI). QTD1 customers, who primarily include firms in the finance and media spaces, can now link up to existing DE-CIX access points.

Beyond the standard fiber interconnection, DE-CIX touted the addition as a potential differentiator given its quantum links, highlighting its use of emerging quantum computing and networking technologies – such as quantum key distribution (QKD) and Qunnect’s GothamQ quantum network testbed, the latter of which is being trialed by Cisco according to a recently disclosed team-up.

QTD Systems CEO Peter Feldman suggested the firm foresees DE-CIX’s customers eventually integrating quantum technologies being tested in its facilities in the not-too-distant future

“QTD customers require a robust and mission-critical global interconnection ecosystem that DE-CIX offers to facilitate their services,” Feldman added. “Crucially, the new partnership can enable our customers’ connections to DE-CIX in a matter of hours with our existing dark fiber network in the building.”

Growth in New York comes as DE-CIX continues to expand both in the U.S. and across the globe. The firm recently expanded its presence to Equinix's NY9 in New York, while expanding across markets like Sofia, Dubai, São Paulo, and even has eyes on the stars.

In New York, though, the firm finds itself interconnecting an iconic venue. Constructed in the late 1920s as the headquarters for Western Union, the building now serves as one of the most important internet hubs in the world, housing infrastructure for everything from network providers and telecom companies to ISPs and cloud firms. Its lower Manhattan location also makes it perfectly placed to connect to transatlantic undersea cable landings.

“New York is one of the most dynamic interconnection markets globally, where businesses depend on efficient, low-latency connectivity to exchange traffic at scale, and we’re happy to serve the market even better through our expansion to QTD1,” Ed d’Agostino, VP of DE-CIX North America, noted. “By strengthening our presence at 60 Hudson Street – arguably one of the most important connectivity hubs in the world – we are making it easier for networks to connect through a neutral interconnection model, reducing complexity while supporting more efficient traffic exchange across the wider metro.”