Spread Networks is a company founded by Dan Spivey and backed by James L. Barksdale (former CEO of Netscape ) that claims to offer Internet connectivity between Chicago and New York City at ultra-low latency (i.e. speeds that are very close to the speed of light), high bandwidth, and high reliability, using dark fiber.[1][2] Its customers are primarily firms engaged in high-frequency trading, where small reductions in latency are important to the extent that they help one close trades before one's competitors.[3][4][5]