Nexans to Supply URC-1 Cable to Emerald Bridge for its UK-Ireland Connection

Nexans, a worldwide leading expert in the cable industry, has been awarded a contract to supply 130 kilometres of URC-1 cable to Emerald Bridge Fibres Ltd. (Emerald Bridge). Emerald Bridge is a joint venture between UK fibre network provider Geo Networks Ltd. (Geo) and Ireland’s leading telecom provider ESB Telecoms Ltd, to lay the most recent submarine optical fibre between Ireland and the UK.

Nexans is to supply 130 kilometres of URC-1 cable containing 96 fibres, to Emerald Bridge Fibre Ltd, for its Anglesey-Dublin connectionThe URC-1 cable will be supplied in two separate designs; both single and double-armoured, to ensure the highest level of reliability. By using the latest technology, the cable will be made up of 96 fibres, the highest capacity available for UJ qualification. This will allow for plenty of flexibility to grow beyond current capacity requirements. The cable is currently being manufactured at Nexans’ Rognan factory in Norway and will be ready for delivery to Emerald Bridge in time for the marine installation.

“We’ve been working on this project since 2009 and it’s satisfying to be able to sign the contract and gain yet another reference client for this area. Emerald Bridge expressed its confidence in us due to our ability to supply reliable products at the right price” said Tom Birkeland, Nexans VP Submarine Business Development.

Emerald Bridge was particularly impressed with Nexans’ global expertise and history of delivering large-scale installations of this type. “We selected Nexans as our preferred supplier as they were ideally suited to meet our stringent cable specification requirements and were professional and easy to work with”, said Joe Barrett, Project Director, Emerald Bridge.

The cable will be used to deliver virtually unlimited dark fibre capacity between the UK and the Republic of Ireland to some of the largest data users in the ISP, Mobile, Carrier and System Integrator areas.

“Customers will benefit from the most direct, low latency route across the Irish Sea, as well as access to over 4,000km of UK and Irish national fibre networks” said Tom Bambury, General Manager, ESB Telecoms Ltd.

The project will be executed in close cooperation between the two companies, Emerald Bridge Fibres Ltd and Nexans.

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Source: Nexans, October 25 , 2011