DUBLIN, IRELAND and EATONTOWN, NJ--(Marketwired - April 21, 2015) - Aqua Comms Limited ( AquaComms ) , a provider of scalable, subsea capacity-based network solutions, announces today that it has brought its contract into force (CIF) with TE SubCom , a TE Connectivity Ltd. company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology which has begun manufacturing on the America Europe Connect ( AEConnect ) subsea cable system. AEConnect is scheduled to be ready for service in December 2015, as the latest transatlantic subsea fiber optic cable system connecting North America to Europe with unprecedented capacity and reliability.
AEConnect will land in Shirley, NY and Killala on the West Coast of Ireland, spanning more than 5,400 km with stubbed branching units for future landings, and will use CeltixConnect, an Irish Sea subsea cable wholly owned by AquaComms, to provide extended connectivity to London and greater Europe.
AEConnect will utilise the latest optical technologies to provide the most advanced subsea telecommunications system, coupled with a control plane based on innovative Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies to serve bandwidth-intensive applications. Featuring the latest technology of 130 Gbps x 100 Gbps per fibre pair, AEConnect will provide low latency connectivity to satisfy the bandwidth requirements of global data centres, cloud-based networks and content providers. AEConnect is a product of partnerships with TE SubCom and key customers. The initial project cost is expected to be $300 million and is funded in part through a debt offering arranged by Nomura.
"AquaComms' strategy is to build and operate a diversified, solution-based network, providing term and peak capacity product offerings and working in partnership with its contractors, equipment suppliers, backhaul network providers and customers to support the US's and Europe's expanding data requirements of today and for tomorrow, ultimately offering 'infrastructure-as-a-service'," says Greg Varisco, COO of AquaComms. "AEConnect is currently being constructed using state-of-the-art technology, with 100G-coherent design for low latency, reliable delivery for even the most bandwidth-hungry applications and direct data centre to data centre connectivity across the Atlantic."
"With explosive data growth comes significant demand for SubCom's capabilities," said Aaron Stucki, CEO of TE SubCom. "The AEConnect cable system will provide the infrastructure necessary to support Europe's expanding data needs and we look forward to working with AquaComms on their future builds."
About Aqua Comms Limited. Aqua Comms Limited (AquaComms) is the owner and operator of the transatlantic cable AEConnect and the Irish Sea cable CeltixConnect, and was established to build, acquire or merge with subsea fiber optic cable networks to provide capacity networking solutions to the global media, content providers and IT companies. To learn more about Aqua Comms and its new transatlantic subsea cable system, AEConnect, visit www.AquaComms.com .
About TE SubCom TE SubCom (SubCom), a TE Connectivity Ltd. company, is an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology and marine services and a leading global supplier for today's undersea communications requirements. Drawing on its heritage of technical innovation and industry-recognized performance, SubCom delivers the most reliable, high quality solutions to organizations with undersea communications needs vital to their core mission. The business designs, manufactures and installs systems around the world, and has deployed more than 490,000 km of subsea communication cable-enough to circle the Earth more than 12 times at the Equator. SubCom's global presence, backed by industry-leading research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities, installation and maintenance ships, depots, and management team work together to implement integrated solutions and network upgrades, with unsurpassed reliability, that support the needs of telecommunications, internet providers, offshore and science customers worldwide. For more information visit www.SubCom.com .
About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity (
