Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder
Light Source Communications
Debra Freitas has led Light Source Communications (LSC) as Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder since 2014. In her role, Debra oversees business development, strategic planning, and customer relationships. She also leads the executive team in support of LSC’s mission as a network owner-operator serving global hyperscalers and enterprise customers in strategic U.S. markets.
Her experience includes 14 years in the industry along with previous work in project management for industrial build projects. Through LSC, she has secured agreements with three of the largest tech companies in the world as part of efforts to expand access to dark fiber in high-demand locations.
How can telecommunications technologies help humanity?
Telecommunications technologies are foundational to the successful implementation of AI, which will interface with every facet of our lives and significantly transform them. Industry, healthcare, government — all aspects of our lives are already or will be impacted by AI. There is a balance that must be achieved, where AI governance is able to protect humanity while also allowing the technology to grow and improve our lives. As the AI revolution continues to advance, the emerging data technologies will be exponentially greater than they are today. Technologies in our industry will be the backbone of tomorrow’s communication, connection, and industry.
How can corporations and researchers best serve the next generation?
There will be significant impacts from new research-based platforms. Corporations that develop the technology will set the stage for the next generation of computer learning and community implementation. Researchers will be key to growth as we figure out how far AI can go and what to do with that power.
Is it important for companies to continue to innovate their organization or offerings, and why?
Yes, it is critical for companies to innovate their organization and offerings, because if they do not, they will become obsolete. We must embrace the newest technologies and their uses and implement them in creative ways within our organizations. It will be driven not only by revenue but also efficiency and creativity.
What value does PTC hold for you/your company?
Light Source Communications (LSC) joined PTC to strengthen our connections with the global telecom community and continue contributing to the growth of state-of-the-art digital infrastructure. As we expand our dark fiber routes in strategic U.S. locations, our goal is to deliver bespoke connectivity solutions that meet and exceed the needs of organizations of all sizes. PTC membership has provided us with valuable networking opportunities and industry insights instrumental in driving innovation by connecting the global telecom market with education, connections, and insights. The organizational community is a paramount part of our corporate development. The support and forward-thinking mindset of this community advance our mission to meet the significant fiber needs of today’s businesses, driven by AI applications and other emerging technology.
How does PTC fit your company’s goals?
Membership in PTC provides us with valuable industry insights and facilitates connections within the global telecom community. We are able to leverage these relationships to further our mission to deliver greater connectivity through dark fiber routes, providing the key connections, success, and security for businesses today and tomorrow. The benefits our company receives from PTC make membership a valuable win.
What advice would you share with current and future graduates interested in this field?
Now is the time to be in our industry. There are few moments throughout history where people have had the opportunity to be a part of something so life-changing, and possibly never on the scale we are seeing with AI and other high-performance computing applications. The technological advances happening in our industry right now are literally changing the world. All industries will be utilizing AI, and that data must be transported with the technology our industry provides.
What has been a positive outcome organizationally given the current state of the world?
The explosion of AI is impacting our market, but how it is impacting the world is extremely exciting. The amount of capacity that content providers are requesting is indicative of the many ways AI will revolutionize our civilization. That sounds grandiose, but AI is going to influence every vertical: health, industry, manufacturing, communications, education, etc. While I don’t think society is entirely prepared for the full impact of AI, I do think there will be exciting and extremely beneficial returns from this emerging technology.
About Light Source Communications
Light Source Communications (LSC) is a carrier-neutral, customer-agnostic provider of cutting-edge, customized dark fiber solutions, with the capacity for cost-effective scaling, uninterrupted connectivity, and maintenance-free, secure networking. As a builder and owner of the next generation of dark fiber routes in strategic U.S. markets, LSC provides the key connections, success, and security required for today and tomorrow, and enables the ultra-fast, high-capacity data transmission needed to support AI models and data centers.
