Zayo has launched a new connection route from Manchester in the UK to New York in the US via leased capacity on the Havfrue/AEC 2 cable.

The company this month announced that it has launched the ‘fastest direct network route’ connecting Manchester to New York with its new transatlantic route.

The company said the new route reduces the latency of many transatlantic connections by avoiding backhauling to global Internet hubs in London and Paris.

The new route comes via leased capacity on the Havfrue/AEC 2 cable. First announced in 2018, the cable was built with investment from AquaComms, Google, Meta, and Bulk. The 7,850km, 108Tbps cable system was launched in late 2020.

“Cultivating an enhanced performance for our customers is at the forefront of Zayo’s mission,” said Yannick Leboyer, Zayo's European chief operating officer. “The new subsea route is Zayo’s latest step towards providing fast, reliable infrastructure to connect global Internet hubs both within Europe and to the US. With the fastest transatlantic connection from Manchester, Zayo is well-positioned to handle the increasing capacity demands between these hubs, fueling business innovation and digital transformation for our customers.”

Havfrue runs from the NJFX landing station in New Jersey in the US to Old Head Beach in west Ireland and Kristiansand, Norway.

Facebook and Aqua Comms each own two fiber pairs on the Main Trunk, with Google and Bulk Infrastructure each owning one fiber pair. Facebook and Aqua Comms own two fiber pairs and four fiber pairs on the Ireland Branch respectively. Bulk Infrastructure owns both of the Norway Branch’s two fiber pairs.

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– Far North Digital

Far North Fiber starts cable route study for Arctic cable

In other subsea cable news, Far North Fiber has started its cable route study.

The company aims to build the first pan-Arctic subsea cable system, which would run from Japan to Northern Europe via Alaska, Canada, and Greenland through the Arctic Ocean and Northwest Passage.

A joint venture between Cinia, US-based Far North Digital, and Japan’s Arteria Networks, the 14,000km cable is set to feature 12 fiber pairs and go live in late 2026.

“We are very pleased to see the constantly growing interest in the FNF project from our key stakeholders, such as customers and investors as well as states and communities along the route," said Ari-Jussi Knaapila, CEO of Cinia. "The cable route study is a concrete and exciting step forward and it is delightful to see how these steps ahead in the project interest the market.”

The cable route study will be completed in 2023.

"ASN is delighted to be a key stakeholder in the Far North Fiber Cable System project," added Paul Gabla, chief sales & marketing officer of ASN. "Our expertise in the Arctic region will be highly valuable for the success of this ambitious project, which will connect Europe and Asia via North America while promoting economic growth in the region.”

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