Low-density configuration arrives first, with high-density and combination modules in development.
Every unit ships with Fortress SMART site technology. 

BOSTON, Sept. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Fortress Group, a North American digital infrastructure company, is unveiling the NextGen SMART ILA, a modular optical infrastructure platform engineered to help network operators deploy faster, scale from low to high-density applications, and improve operational efficiency.

Every operator planning a long-haul or middle-mile route runs into the same constraint: demand for amplifier sites is outrunning the supply of huts. Legacy shelters were designed for an era of lower rack power and fiber counts, and they do not reach rated capacity when pushed. Once fiber is tied in, the footprint is set. A design decision made today can govern the site for the next decade.

The NextGen SMART ILA is designed around the optical line, fiber count, and thermal load first; the building is then engineered to serve them.

What you can expect from the NextGen SMART ILA

• Up to 5X PUE savings. Lower operating costs through improved energy efficiency.
• 3X equipment capacity. More amplifier chassis per rack.
• Up to 10X fiber capacity. Significantly more fiber in the same footprint as a traditional double-wide ILA.
• Up to 45% lower cost per watt. Scale more power without costs increasing proportionally.
• Low to high density. A modular architecture that grows with the network.
• Rapid end-to-end deployment. One integrated team managing design, manufacturing, logistics, installation, and commissioning.

Low density comes first

The first configuration reaching the field is the low-density (LD) module, designed to support optical transport equipment such as the Ciena 6500 RLS. The LD configuration supports 144–288 fibers, with each module delivering 10 relay racks within an 8 ft × 40 ft ISO container footprint with independent N+1 cooling. An LD-only cluster carries approximately 83.5 kW of facility load.

High density and combination configurations are in the works

Low density is the starting point, not the ceiling. Fortress is advancing a high-density (HD) module designed to support up to 864 fibers, alongside six standard configurations that combine HD and LD modules based on site requirements. 

Across the platform, configurations are designed to scale from approximately 83.5 kW to 406 kW of facility load, with two standard utility packages covering the full range.

How far the platform scales at the top end, and what that means for fiber capacity per site, is a conversation Fortress would rather have with the drawings open.

Every node ships SMART

The word SMART in the name is doing real work. Site management across many ILA portfolios still relies on stale as-builts, spreadsheet access logs, disconnected capacity data, and physical keys.

Every NextGen SMART ILA is delivered with a mobile platform for Android and iOS connecting engineering intelligence, secure site access, vendor and work tracking, living as-builts, facility control, and lifecycle and digital twin capabilities in one platform. Full capability details will be released shortly.

Get an Early Look at the NextGen SMART ILA this October at Experience Week

Fortress will host NextGen ILA Experience Week this October, with dates to be announced soon, giving invited operators an exclusive, on-site look at a fully operational SMART ILA, its platform architecture, and the technology behind it. 

Much of the technical architecture is not public yet, including module configurations, cooling and redundancy strategy, power topology, high-density fiber management, and site layout. Experience Week will give operators the opportunity to explore those details firsthand with the Fortress team.

Operators do not have to wait until October to start the conversation. Request an early look at the technical package and the opportunity to secure production capacity by contacting the Fortress Client & Solutions team:

• Tristan Cornell, Head of Client Solutions | tristan.cornell@fortress-group.com
• Carson Southard, Head of Client Development | carson.southard@fortress-group.com

Designed for Scale. Delivered at Speed.

About Fortress Group

Fortress was founded to address a growing challenge across telecom and data centers: demand for digital infrastructure is accelerating faster than the industry can build. Founded by a leadership team with over 30 years of experience building the backbone of the digital world, Fortress is purpose-built to design and deliver scalable digital infrastructure with the speed, certainty, and reliability modern industries demand. As a turnkey partner, Fortress aligns design and construction from the earliest stages, engineers from the inside out, and delivers innovative, scalable solutions through a single accountable team. Fortress protects what matters most: its clients’ schedules, budgets, operational continuity, and long-term growth. 

Learn more at www.fortress-group.com 

Contact:

sales@fortress-group.com | Contact Us 

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SOURCE Fortress Group