Internet Speed: 60 Mbps downlink; 14.3 Mbps uplink

Population: 4 million

Internet Coverage: 90% of residents

Main Internet Services: Cable, DSL, Fiber

Main Internet Service Providers: Cox Communications, AT&T, TDS Telecom

Colocation Datacenters: 14

According to Akamai.com, the average downlink Internet speed in Oklahoma is 60 Mbps and the average uplink speed is 14.3 Mbps.

In 2016, the population of Oklahoma was approximately 4 million. More than 90% of residents have access to the Internet, especially broadband connections.

Main Internet services provided in Oklahoma are as follows:

– Cable – over 90% coverage
– DSL – over 70% coverage
– Fiber – less than 50% coverage

Main Internet Service Providers located in Oklahoma are the following:

– Cox Communications (Cable) – 90% availability
– AT&T (DSL) – 80% availability
– TDS Telecom (Fiber) – less than 35% availability

Gigabit Internet in Oklahoma

In December 2015, AT&T announced that they would start rolling out gigabit Internet to a large number of Oklahoma metro areas, including Tulsa and Oklahoma City, in addition to 38 other cities. It was said that the rollout would be completed by the end of 2016. Following AT&T’s initiative, Cox Communications announced that they would roll out their own gigabit Internet service to select areas in Oklahoma as well. The two companies offer this service both through existing copper lines and through their own private fiber networks.

According to datacentermap.com, there are currently 14 colocation datacenters located in Oklahoma. Most datacenters are established in Tulsa (9), followed by Oklahoma City (5).

In Tulsa, prominent colocation providers are the following:

– CORE Datacenters, Inc.
– Kanbar Properties
– TierPoint
– TulsaConnect
– Level 3 Communications

As for Oklahoma City, the prominent colocation providers are:

– MIDCON Recovery Solutions
– TierPoint
– RACK59
– Level 3 Communications

Prominent Colocation Providers – Kanbar Properties

One of the biggest colocation providers located in Oklahoma is Kanbar Properties, whose main datacenter is located in Tulsa. This 67,000-square-foot facility specializes in providing wholesale and retail colocation services, in addition to disaster recovery and business continuity solutions. Amenities include: redundant UPS power equipment, fault-tolerant and concurrently-maintainable power, as well as fiber optic connectivity. Additionally, the location provides carrier neutrality, with on-site access to a total of four Internet Service Providers: AT&T, Easytel, Verizon, and Cox Communications.

Prominent Colocation Providers – TierPoint

Another important colocation provider is TierPoint, with main datacenters that are located in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. In Tulsa, their main facility has a square footage of 37,000, which is divided between retail colocation space, wholesale colocation space, and business continuity space. Amenities include: redundant UPS power and cooling equipment, backup diesel generator for extended power outages, hot-aisle and cold-aisle rack configuration and backhaul services upon request. Carrier neutrality is ensured by means of 10 on-premise telecommunications providers. Each provider has a dual path fiber entry into the facility, and can provide both public and private connectivity.

Colocation Industry in Oklahoma

Oklahoma is currently regarded as a secondary colocation market, but recent trends indicate substantial growth in comparison to the previous years, which might be able to render this market a more attractive destination for colocation providers.

Advantages for Colocation

There are many advantages for co-locating in Oklahoma compared to other states:

– the state’s centralized position
– close proximity to other emerging markets, such as Colorado, New Mexico, and most importantly, Texas
– relatively advanced technical infrastructure
– low cost of living, building, land, and electrical power

Disadvantages for Colocation

However, the reason this market is not particularly popular is the state’s high risk of natural disasters. Oklahoma is very often affected by fires, tornadoes, earthquakes, along with many other hazards, which discourage significant private investments.