Exa Launches New Fiber Route from London to Brussels

Exa Infrastructure has launched a new European fiber route, including a subsea cable connecting the UK to mainland Europe. The 1,200 km project includes a 115km submarine cable linking Margate in the UK to Ostend, Belgium. Exa is responsible for providing landing party and backhaul services on the cable.

Steve Roberts, SVP strategic network investments and product management at Exa Infrastructure, said: “This is a real milestone for robust connectivity options in Europe and includes the first new subsea cable on this complex corridor – the North Sea – in 25 years. This new route complements our investment in the Channel Tunnel, delivering scalable, modern, and optimized fiber paths between key FLAP hubs.”

Ciaran Delaney, COO at Exa Infrastructure, said it was a “complex and challenging” build.

“The regulatory landscape in Europe, plus the North Sea’s challenging seabed conditions, demanded ‘in-region’ expertise in the various jurisdictions, as well as sophisticated installation techniques – particularly on the wet segments – to install and protect the system from future interruption to service,” he added.