Arelion has launched a new cross-border fiber route connecting its existing Point-of-Presence (PoP) in San Diego to a newly established PoP at Neutral Networks’ data center in Tijuana, Mexico. This fully subterranean, high-capacity fiber route is designed to deliver terabit-scale performance and enhanced availability for wholesale carriers and enterprise customers operating between the U.S. and Mexico.
It marks Arelion’s first PoP in Tijuana and brings its total number of regional PoPs in Mexico to eleven.
The new route reinforces Arelion’s broader North American network infrastructure by offering direct, low-latency access between Mexico and Southern California’s technology and content hubs, including the data center-rich markets of Phoenix and Los Angeles. It supports 400G coherent pluggable optics and leverages the latest open line systems, enhancing both bandwidth and scalability for growing workloads, including cloud computing, content delivery, and AI-driven applications.
By expanding its footprint in Mexico, Arelion positions itself to meet rising regional demand fueled by nearshoring trends in industries such as electronics, aerospace, automotive, and medical manufacturing. Tijuana, already home to 122 electronics firms and 55 aerospace and defense companies, is witnessing a surge in digital infrastructure investments. Real estate developers are investing over $635 million in new industrial space, totaling 5.3 million square feet, reinforcing the city’s role as a critical link in global supply chains.
Growth of AI and Cloud Applications
The new Tijuana PoP complements Arelion’s two existing PoPs in San Diego – EdgeConneX and LightEdge – and integrates with its routes to Phoenix and Los Angeles. It also supports broader Mexican connectivity through additional PoPs in cities like San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Mexico City, Mérida, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, providing a comprehensive network that serves both edge users and core data centers.
The deployment is strategically aligned with the expansion of submarine cable projects, such as the Bifrost cable, and the region’s growing appetite for cloud and AI infrastructure. By linking Tijuana directly to San Diego, Arelion creates a high-capacity conduit for data exchange, positioning itself as a key enabler of cross-border digital services and commerce.
Edison De Leon, Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean at Arelion, emphasized the importance of this expansion for the region’s digital transformation. “This new cross-border route allows us to support Mexico’s ongoing economic growth and digital innovation amid the continued rise of AI and cloud applications,” said De Leon. “It enables massive traffic flows from Mexico into San Diego with terabit-scale capacities and fully diverse Tier-1 services, enhancing connectivity to America’s thriving data center and technology markets.”
With this development, customers gain enhanced access to Arelion’s global Internet backbone, currently ranked as the world’s top-performing Tier-1 network. Arelion’s service portfolio – comprising IP Transit, Wavelengths, Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), Cloud Connect, Global 40G Ethernet Virtual Circuit (VC), and DDoS Mitigation – is now more accessible to service providers, content platforms, and enterprises operating in Baja California and beyond.
This expansion further cements Arelion’s commitment to bridging digital infrastructure across borders, supporting economic growth, and meeting the escalating demands of cloud, content, and AI ecosystems in North America.
