A cross connect is one of the simplest things in a data center. It is a strand of fiber that runs from your cabinet to someone else's. A technician plugs it in once. It never gets touched again.
It is also one of the most expensive lines on your bill, month after month.
The real numbers
Equinix starts at $375 a month for a single cross connect. They do not sell packs. You ask for a quantity, and that is the price.
You can usually get that down to $350 if you ask. You have to ask. They will approve it, but they will not offer it.
Other data centers that are not carrier hotels tend to start around $350. Smaller tier two operators will go to $250 or $300.
Why it costs so much
It is margin. A cross connect is close to pure profit for the operator.
The one time install fee covers the cable and the technician. After that, you pay a recurring charge for a piece of glass that sits still. There is no ongoing cost to them. They will mention maintenance. There is no maintenance.
How to push it down
The lever is volume. One cross connect gives you no room to push. Ten or twenty does.
If you will have several, ask for a cross connect addendum with tiered pricing. Get the rate in writing before you sign the space deal, not after.
One more angle. Some operators waive the cross connect fee if you buy their internet transit. If you need transit anyway, ask them to bundle it.
A warning on the big carrier hotels. Equinix and CoreSite will not discount much unless you have close to a hundred cross connects. If you are a small tenant there, the list price is mostly the price. Budget for it.
What to check on your bill
Pull your invoice and count the cross connects. Multiply by the monthly rate. If you have several at full list price and no addendum, you are leaving money on the table every month.
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Paying too much for connectivity too? Run a free DIA price check and see what a fair rate looks like in your market.