Zayo says it has launched services across its Zeus undersea cable route that runs between Lowestoft, UK, and Zandvoort, Netherlands. Engineered for reliability, the Zeus system includes terrestrial backhaul links to London and Amsterdam.
The 192-fiber cable contains ultra-low-loss (ULL) fibers that will support wavelengths up to 600 Gbps for a maximum C-Band capacity of 2,650 Tbps. To improve reliability, Zayo had the Zeus dual-armored cable buried between 2 and 3 m under the seabed of the North Sea. The company says it will continuously monitor the cable via OTDR devices and leverage a 24x7 guard vessel to monitor activity along the route. Zayo will oversee operation of Zeus from its European network operation center located in central London.
“Meeting the connectivity needs of tomorrow requires deploying the most advanced network today, and that’s exactly what we’ve built for customers who want a hyper-fast and ultra-reliable connection between the UK and mainland Europe,” said Jesper Aagaard, president of Zayo Europe. “Zeus is now the strongest connection available in the region. We utilized the best cable available, buried it deeper in the seabed than our competitors, and made it even more reliable than alternatives. We are confident our customers will benefit from this project for years – and even decades – to come.”
“The North Sea is an extremely challenging body of water for a subsea project like Zeus. Not only are there harsh weather conditions and relentless currents, the seabed is littered with items, some as simple as a discarded aluminum can and some as formidable as unexploded bombs left over from the Second World War,” said Geir Holmer, CEO of JTD Associates and a consultant on the project. “Not only did we overcome these challenges, we worked tirelessly with Zayo to ensure this route was built to last – making it the most resilient route across the North Sea. I’m proud to have been part of this project, and what it will enable for decades to come.”
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