GEO Networks Complete 100Gbps Fibre Optic Network Between UK and Ireland

GEO Networks, a dedicated fibre optic solutions provider, has today announced the completion of a new 100Gbps (Gigabits per second) capable “optical fibre ring” (East-West Ring) between the United Kingdom and Ireland, which also makes use of the FibreSpeed network in North Wales.

GEO claims that the new link will help broadband ISPs, data centres, mobile operators and businesses alike gain access to “virtually limitless capacity” and “best in class low latency bandwidth“, which is said to have been “specifically optimised for heavy data users“. As a result GEO now claims to be the only provider to offer private optical connectivity on two completely diverse routes between the UK and Ireland.

Chris Smedley, CEO of Geo, explained:

“We are delighted to have completed the first fully diverse, Anglo-Irish cable system offering dedicated fibre solutions. The combination of network reach in both the UK and Ireland, our commercial model, 10 years of service excellence and the design of this subsea connection will provide what we believe will be the preferred choice for organisations looking to prioritise low latency, unlimited bandwidth and reducing their total cost of ownership.

With business demand for high capacity data networks growing all the time, it is vital that they have the infrastructure to support their needs. Customers on both sides of the Irish Sea will benefit from a single service provider offering a combination of two routes between the UK and Ireland, and the diversity will provide unequalled resilience, unmatched in service availability.”

Readers might recall that GEO signed an agreement with the Irish electricity firm, Eirgrid, last May 2011 to deploy a second subsea fibre optic cable between the UK and Ireland. The €600 million EU funded project, which was said to have a total capacity of around 7 Terabits, effectively commercialised part of Eirgrid’s East-West Interconnector (electricity link) between Rush, Dublin and Prestatyn, Wales.