Aqua Comms, Meta, Microsoft, and Vodafone announce the completion of the Amitie subsea cable system. Amitie is the world's first direct link between Boston and Europe and Bordeaux and North America, spanning 6,783 kilometres (4,215 miles) across the Atlantic. Built by Alcatel Submarine Networks, this 16-fibre pair system has a capacity of 400 terabits per second (Tbps), making it the highest-capacity transoceanic communications cable ever deployed, as the official announcement states.
Also Read: Aqua Comms Launches First 400 Gbps Trans-Atlantic Service for ESnet
Links France and UK with the US
The completion of Amitie marks a milestone in advancing the reliability and diversity of subsea cable routes between North America and Europe. With strategically positioned landings in Lynn, Massachusetts; Widemouth Bay, England; and Le Porge, France, the cable opens up a world of enhanced connectivity options in the United States, the UK, and France.
This direct connection between Boston and London, coupled with a new Carrier Neutral Data Center constructed in Bordeaux, brings unmatched reliability in terms of protected capacity on multiple diverse routes.
Amitie Subsea Cable System
According to the official statement, one of the most noteworthy features of Amitie is the branching unit situated 860 kilometres from France and 650 kilometres from the UK. This device allows the cable's owners to switch individual optical wavelengths between different landings or the full fibre capacity through two different types of switching technologies, ensuring seamless and versatile data transmission.
Digital Infrastructure Development
Aqua Comms stated, "Amitie, branded as AEC-3 on Aqua Comms' network, adds a third high-capacity system to our transatlantic footprint, offering enhanced diversity in both the US and Europe and delivering the latest technology to our customers."
According to RTI International, Marea, another high-capacity transoceanic cable, has been contributing about USD 18 billion annually to Europe's economy since 2019.
Also Read: Vocus Upgrades Melbourne to Adelaide Cable Route to 800 Gbps
The completion (fully commissioned and tested) of Amitie on July 16, 2023, marks a milestone for Aqua Comms and its partners, who collaborated under a Joint Build Agreement with the supplier and the landing providers to create this subsea cable system. Amitie strengthens global connectivity and sets new data transmission capacity and reliability benchmarks between North America and Europe.
