Emerald Atlantis Limited and TE SubCom to Lay Trans-Atlantic Cable System (USA)

Emerald Atlantis Limited and TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology announced the finalization of an Instruction to Proceed to build the Emerald Express Trans-Atlantic Cable System. The first phase will provide both low-latency and ultra-high bandwidth capacity between the US, Canada, UK and Iceland, requiring 5,200km of advanced submarine fibre optic cable. To achieve the desired ultra-high capacity rates, Emerald Express has been designed to support 100x100Gbs on each of its six fibre pairs.

“The Emerald Express system’ s combination of a 100x100G per fibre pair design and ‘great circle’ routing for optimized trans-Atlantic low latency will enable Emerald Atlantis to meet the tremendous demand for bandwidth driven by cloud services, while providing Iceland with the required connectivity to support the anticipated explosive growth of low cost, 100% carbon free, renewable energy powered data centres, in which the Wellcome Trust, Emerald Atlantis’ largest shareholder and strategic partner, has a major investment,” said Greg Varisco, EA, President.

The trans-Atlantic marine cable route survey between UK and Canada commences in early August and the Emerald Express system will enter service in late 2012. The Emerald Express system includes a high capacity connection to Iceland, allowing Iceland based data centres to offer ultra low latency connections to Europe and North America, and provides two stubbed branching units positioned off Newfoundland and Ireland to support future connectivity.

“A fast track, game changing project of this scope requires the expertise and commitment of the most experienced technology supplier and installation partner, which is exactly what we have in TE SubCom,” said Scott Schwertfager, General Manager, EA. “We look forward to working closely with TE SubCom to ensure the Emerald Express system is completed on-time and with maximum efficiency and reliability.”

“It is a pleasure for TE SubCom to be chosen by Emerald Atlantis, who has asked for the most technically advanced solution available for a 2012 project completion,” said Michael Rieger, TE SubCom VP of Global Sales. “The industry is shifting its commitment to new trans-Atlantic bandwidth and TE SubCom is looking forward to working with the Emerald Atlantis team in the US and Iceland to deliver this unique IT infrastructure project within budget and on time. TE SubCom will leverage our extensive North Atlantic project experience, including recent success delivering a system into Iceland.”

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Source: Emerald Atlantis, July 22, 2011;