Zayo activates 192-fiber subsea route between UK and Netherlands

Zayo activated its new Zeus subsea route connecting Lowestoft, UK and Zandvoort, Netherlands. 

At 192 fibres, Zeus contains the highest fibre count connecting the UK and mainland Europe -- the most dense, deeply-buried and robust cable available in the North Sea. Zayo utilized Ultra Low Loss (ULL) optical fibres, so wavelength throughput on a single channel between London and Amsterdam can reach up to 600G. Zeus offers a full C-band capacity of 2.65 petabits per second (Pbps) and C+L Band of 5.2 Pbps. Corning supplied the SMF-28 fiber.

The cable is buried between 2 and 3 metres under the seabed in comparison with half a metre for existing, outdated cables. The cable is guaranteed to be 100% dual-armored – all the way through the joints – to prevent interference. To ensure an optimal customer experience, Zayo continuously monitors Zeus via OTDR devices for rapid fault identification. In addition, Zayo will be leveraging a 24 X 7 guard vessel to monitor any activity along the path.

“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 key 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.”

As part of the project, the team worked with the Royal Netherlands Navy to detonate a large, 80- year-old explosive that had been left on the seabed since World War II. The team also put sustainability first, working to limit disruption and preserve the ecology of the sea. 

https://www.zayo.com/resources/welcoming-zeus-the-new-connectivity-titan-of-the-north-sea/