What is an IRU?
An IRU is an Indefeasible Right to Use the fiber. Most companies who offer dark fiber grant IRUs to the fiber. For regulatory reasons, generally only licensed carriers are allowed access to support structures and municipal rights of way. Rather than selling title to the fiber the fiber contractors grant a 5-20 year IRU. An IRU can be used as collateral, sold or traded and otherwise treated like a physically owned asset.
