The IRIS submarine cable was complete with services most likely being available in the first quarter of 2023. This submarine cable developed by SubCom, a reliable fiber optic cable manufacturer, and operated by Farice, Iceland’s main telecommunications service provider, is a high-speed system connecting Thorlakshofn, Iceland to Galway Bay, Ireland.
Galway Bay: Submarine Landing
Farice had begun the IRIS project back in 2019, when there was only two Iceland to Europe undersea cables, and both were connected to Northern Europe. However, there was still an Icelandic need for higher speeds and capacity, which sparked this project to begin. In September 2020, Galway was selected as the landing site for the undersea cable project connecting Iceland to the rest of Europe.
Galway was seen as an ideal operation point due to the fact that it had a suitable seabed for the submarine cable itself and the near-shore city made it a great home for the submarine landing. The CEO of Farice stated, “This coupled with Galway’s reputation for business, education and hospitality will lead to a win-win situation. The enhanced global activity provided by the system will be a catalyst for attracting high tech business to the city and the regions.”
Galway was also selected for the Far North Fiber Cable with an expected launch date of 2025. Solidifying it as an attractive port for telecom infrastructure assets. On the opposing end, the development of the telecommunications infrastructure assets was also underway.
Icelandic Data Center
In 2021, the Icelandic Data Center Firm, Verne Global, had announced the $50 million expansion of multiple data center campuses. Verne Global saw the demand for data storage and processing and began developing the infrastructure needed for the IRIS Submarine Cable.
IRIS
On August 8th of this year, the final splice of the submarine cable was implemented just west of Ireland. This allowed for the series of testing and provisional system checks. Then on November 11th, the IRIS submarine cable had entered into its final phase of completion. “The IRIS cable system is designed with a six-fiber pair trunk for a total system capacity of 108 Tbps, with each fiber pair delivering 18 Tbps.” The 1,700 km cable is part of the new industrial revolution which focuses on renewable technology paired with high-quality, digital infrastructure.
Submarine Cable Boom
The submarine cable and landing boom has continued driven by a variety of factors. One of these factors derives from the world becoming intricately more connected with the increasing implementation of cloud communications. This, in conjunction with the rise in OTTs [over-the-top applications], and overall data demand from gaming to streaming to daily needs, the data and submarine cable industry has been in more demand than ever.
Knowing where submarine cables and landings are located can benefit organizations in a variety of ways. Contact GeoTel to access this pertinent data today.
Written by: Valerie Stephen
