Big Ideas Need Big Bandwidth: How The Beta District Gives Partners A Competitive Edge

The Beta District believes the future belongs to those who are connected – literally. When innovation depends on real-time communication, massive data transfers and rock-solid reliability, ordinary networks won’t cut it. That’s why The Beta District and the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) have invested in one of the most advanced, secure and high-capacity fiber networks in the country – designed specifically to help innovators build, test and scale the technologies of tomorrow.

Where Is The Beta District?

The Beta District is a nationally-recognized innovation region located in Central Ohio. Anchored by the City of Dublin, City of Marysville and Union County along the US33 Smart Mobility Corridor, The Beta District is where public and private sector partners come together to test, refine and launch new technologies.

The Beta District offers a unique combination of infrastructure, talent and opportunity with its strategic location just northwest of Columbus, and a strong network of universities, government agencies and advanced manufacturers.

Partners in The Beta District include:

  • DriveOhio and ODOT – advancing connected and automated vehicle research with investments in fiber and electricity in the US 33 Smart Mobility Corridor
  • Transportation Research Center (TRC) – North America's largest independent vehicle test facility, enabling advanced mobility innovation
  • Honda – A global leader in mobility and connected vehicle technology and leveraging The Beta District fiber network for research and implementation
  • Memorial Health – Leveraging the fiber network for secure cloud-based data storage
  • The Ohio State University – A world-class research institution and home to the OARNet supercomputer, which utilizes The Beta District fiber network
  • Expedient and DartPoints – Two “high-tier” data centers anchoring the region’s network infrastructure with back-end, full-service IT support

These organizations span sectors from smart mobility to education and healthcare – all tapping into the region’s fiber to move faster, think bigger and do more.

A Network Designed for What's Next

At the heart of The Beta District lies a 35-mile, 432-strand, fully underground and redundant fiber loop that delivers blazing-fast speeds. Funded by smart mobility leader DriveOhio at ODOT in partnership with the US33 Northwest Council of Governments, this fiber network is commercial-grade infrastructure built for serious users.

Features of the fiber include:

  • 100% underground, 100% redundant loop
  • Commercial-grade SLAs
  • Dark fiber leasing at highly competitive rates
  • Access to DartPoints and Expedient data centers for wholesale internet, meet-me-rooms, and cloud solutions
  • Direct connectivity to the OARNet Supercomputer (via separate agreement)
  • Multi-year contracts scalable for any business size

Businesses can lease fiber at reasonable rates and build laterals to connect their facilities to the loop. From there, scaling bandwidth is simple: just upgrade lighting gear, no major infrastructure overhaul required. Fiber can be leased in pairs or multiple pairs, enabling two-way traffic and full redundancy.

“Memorial Health was able to leverage Union County’s fiber loop in conjunction with the Beta District fiber loop to securely back up the hospital’s critical data through its data center,” said Andy Chileski, CIO of Memorial Health. “This allows us to meet all governmental regulatory requirements while providing the hospital peace of mind that our data is protected and secured.”

Fiber in Action: Real Results in Real Places

The Beta District’s fiber network isn’t just future potential; it’s already powering some of the region’s most critical systems.

Expedient, a leading data solutions provider, chose Dublin as its Central Ohio base in large part because of its fiber infrastructure. Honda is utilizing the US33 Smart Mobility Corridor, a 35-mile stretch of highway, as a real-world testing ground for SAFE SWARM™, enabling vehicles to wirelessly communicate and move fluidly and efficiently without colliding, much like a school of fish.

The Bottom Line: Fiber is Your Competitive Edge

When you plug into The Beta District, you’re not just accessing fiber; you’re stepping into a fully connected innovation ecosystem. Our infrastructure isn’t just fast; it’s affordable, secure and already delivering value for forward-thinking organizations.

You bring the big idea. We’ll bring the bandwidth.

Ready to connect?

Join the forward-thinking organizations already building the future in The Beta District. Visit thebetadistrict.com to explore opportunities, request a fiber consultation or connect with our team.