Initial high-frequency data for September, though, point at a recovery in EM central bank demand for the common currency.

FORBES: EM Central Banks To Gobble Up Euros After Sharp Drop Against The Dollar

One such project is called NewsFlash, and uses high-frequency red and green light to transmit data to the built-in camera on a receiving device -- in this case Samsung's Epic 4G.

ENGADGET: NewsFlash uses high-frequency light to transmit data from iPad to smartphone, we go hands-on (video)

Not all planes across oceans have data-link capabilities, and high-frequency radio is still used with some flights and as a backup with others.

WSJ: How New Air-Traffic Control Systems Operate Over Oceans

These were the direct ancestors of the "co-location" and "direct data feeds" that have enabled high-frequency traders to get first crack at market prices on today's stock exchanges.

WSJ: New Twist Is Added to an Age-Old Saga

As latency has been driven into the microsecond range for high frequency trading (HFT), firms are looking for either new geographies or new information to supplement market data.

FORBES: Firms Look to Event Driven Trading for Greater Alpha

For investment banks, the data centers can provide co-location of their algo engines next to exchanges to reduce latency in high frequency trading.

FORBES: New Equinix Marketplace Can Link Financial Firms and Digital News