Farice, the main provider of international capacity from Iceland to mainland Europe, has joined forces with Ciena, a global networking solutions provider, to enhance its recently launched IRIS cable system. The collaboration aims to improve connectivity between southwest Iceland and Galway, Ireland, with onward connections to the UK, Denmark, and the Nordics.
Also Read: IRIS Subsea Cable to Link Ireland and Iceland
The IRIS cable system, spanning a distance of 1,700km, marks the third submarine cable connecting Iceland to Europe. Farice's existing submarine systems, including FARICE-1 and DANICE, combined with the IRIS cable system, offer enhanced redundancy and network service availability.
Iceland's Unique Geographical Advantage
Iceland's unique geological composition, renowned for its clean energy sources and geothermal technology, has attracted multinational corporations, tier 1 and 2 service providers, and data centre operators. The country's low electricity costs and renewable energy make it an ideal location for establishing connectivity infrastructure.
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Upgrading IRIS cable system
The IRIS cable system, which went live on March 1, features six fibre pairs and delivers an impressive 22 Tbps per fibre pair, resulting in a total capacity of 132 Tbps, operating at 500 Gbps line rates.
Farice has deployed Ciena's advanced technology solutions to bolster the IRIS cable system's capabilities. This includes the 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, powered by Ciena's innovative WaveLogic 5 Extreme coherent optics, and the Manage, Control and Plan (MCP) domain controller, according to the statement.
Ciena Services have provided consulting, systems integration, training, and optimisation services, ensuring the network operates at peak performance.
Ciena's GeoMesh Extreme submarine network solution
In its statement, Ciena said it has also assisted Farice in upgrading the terrestrial routes in Iceland for the IRIS and DANICE cable systems. The upgrade involved implementing a protected ring system with fast restoration capabilities using a ROADM-based GeoMesh Extreme architecture. Additionally, the DANICE system was updated with WaveLogic 5 Extreme coherent optics, further enhancing its performance.
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Farice, which owns and operates three submarine fibre systems connecting Iceland to Europe, has been providing international wholesale connectivity services to telecom operators in Iceland, the Faroe Islands, and Greenland.
The recent collaboration with Ciena strengthens its commitment to delivering high-quality and reliable network services to its customers.
