IRIS subsea cable completed linking Ireland and Iceland

The IRIS Sub-Sea Telecoms Cable System connecting Galway, Ireland to Iceland has now been completed.

The IRIS system will be ready for service in the first quarter of 2023 and will be the third submarine fibre optic cable system connecting Iceland with Europe. The system provides further redundancy in telecommunication connection between Iceland and Europe, with low latency connections around 10.5 ms, between Reykjavík and Dublin. The IRIS system is integrated into Farice’s network in Iceland and Europe to enhance the network and provide comprehensive, diverse, and secure connectivity between Farice’s network POPs in Iceland and Euro

Farice signed a contract with SubCom, LLC, a global subsea fiber optic cable system supply company, to install the IRIS Cable System and SubCom has now received provisional acceptance for the IRIS Cable System, the final phase before officially handing the system over to its owner, Farice.

The IRIS system will be ready for service in the first quarter of 2023 and will be the third submarine fiber optic cable system connecting Iceland with Europe. The system provides further redundancy in telecommunication connection between Iceland and Europe, with low latency connections around 10.5 ms, between Reykjavík and Dublin. The IRIS system is integrated into Farice’s network in Iceland and Europe to enhance the network and provide comprehensive, diverse, and secure connectivity between Farice’s network POPs in Iceland and Europe.

https://farice.is

Farice plans fiber route linking Iceland, Ireland and Japan

Sunday, July 10, 2022  Farice, Iceland, Ireland, Japan, Subsea  

Farice reached a sales agrement with Far North Digital (FND) for fiber connectivity between Japan and Iceland via Farice’s new IRIS submarine cable and FND’s planned Arctic cable.Construction is currently underway for Farice's IRIS Subsea Telecoms Cable System from Iceland to Galway, Ireland. The system is planned for service early 2023.The FND fiber cable will be the first Arctic route connecting Asia with Europe via the Northwest Passage, greatly...

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Construction begins on Farice cable from Iceland to Ireland

Monday, May 30, 2022  Iceland, Ireland, Subcom, Subsea  

Construction is underway for Farice's new IRIS Subsea Telecoms Cable System from Iceland to Galway, Ireland.Earlier this month, SubCom’s cable installation vessel the CS Durable landed the cable successfully at Thorlakshofn beach in Iceland.  Subcom said deployment is expected to advance at approximately 20-200 km per day with a target burial depth of 1.5m beneath the seabed in water depth of up to 1,500m. Work on the terrestrial section of...

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Farice plans fiber route linking Iceland, Ireland and Japan

Farice reached a sales agrement with Far North Digital (FND) for fiber connectivity between Japan and Iceland via Farice’s new IRIS submarine cable and FND’s planned Arctic cable.

Construction is currently underway for Farice's IRIS Subsea Telecoms Cable System from Iceland to Galway, Ireland. The system is planned for service early 2023.

The FND fiber cable will be the first Arctic route connecting Asia with Europe via the Northwest Passage, greatly reducing the optical distance between Asia and Europe, thus minimizing latency.  FND is aiming for commercial launch by the end of 2026.

Farice and FND have agreed to develop a connectivity exchange at their shared landing site in Galway, Ireland.  Through the exchange, customers will be able to buy direct connectivity between Japan and Iceland, linking the third largest economy in the world and Iceland, which has 100% green and sustainable electricity.

“We are very excited about the development of the new Arctic fibre cable that will bring the continents of Asia, Northern America and Europe closer together.  The landing of the cable in Galway next to our IRIS cable will drive the development of a new submarine network exchange, connecting Iceland to Asia, North America and Northern Scandinavia”, says Thorvardur Sveinsson, CEO of Farice.

“Farice is a terrific partner, and Iceland has the renewable resources to make the Internet greener”, says Guy Houser, FND’s Chief Technical Officer.  “Our combined system offers faster and more secure connectivity for the world and the North.  It is critical infrastructure in the information age.”

https://www.fn-digital.com/news

https://farice.is/connectivity-between-iceland-and-japan-through-new-pan-arctic-fibre-cable/

IRIS cable to link Iceland to Ireland with up to 108 Tbps

Tuesday, April 06, 2021  Iceland, Ireland, Subsea  

IRIS, a new six-fiber pair undersea cable system, will connect Iceland and Ireland with up to 108 Tbps of system capacity.

Farice, the international connectivity provider fully owned by the Icelandic Government, has selected Subcom as the primary contractor.

Currently, there are two other submarine cable systems that connect Iceland to Europe – FARICE-1 (2003) and DANICE (2009). 

IRIS will be approximately 1,700 km in length and connect south west of Iceland to Ballyloughane Strand in Galway, Ireland. Farice has already finalized the DTS and marine survey work on Ireland’s continental shelf and will complete the remaining survey works to Iceland in 2021. Manufacture of the cable and equipment will take place at SubCom’s manufacturing headquarters in Newington, NH, USA during 2021 and early 2022, with main lay installation operations scheduled for summer 2022. The system is expected to be ready for service by the end of 2022.

Farice opted to land the IRIS cable in Ireland, a nexus of trans-Atlantic connections and a center of European operations for many international businesses. IRIS will directly connect to a new high-speed undersea cable system that will enable more diverse, secure, high-speed connectivity between Iceland and mainland Europe.

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Construction begins on Farice cable from Iceland to Ireland

Construction is underway for Farice's new IRIS Subsea Telecoms Cable System from Iceland to Galway, Ireland.

Earlier this month, SubCom’s cable installation vessel the CS Durable landed the cable successfully at Thorlakshofn beach in Iceland.  Subcom said deployment is expected to advance at approximately 20-200 km per day with a target burial depth of 1.5m beneath the seabed in water depth of up to 1,500m. Work on the terrestrial section of underground duct and a termination station in Galway, Ireland and Thorlakshofn, Iceland has taken place and the sites are ready to connect the submarine cable system. The final splice and completion of marine work ia anticipated in mid-August 2022.

The IRIS system will be the third submarine fibre optic cable system connecting Iceland with Europe. 

https://www.subcom.com/documents/2022/Farice_IRIS_Marine_Installation_SubCom_23MAY2022.pdf

IRIS subsea cable to link Iceland to Ireland with up to 108 Tbps capacity

Tuesday, April 06, 2021  Iceland, Ireland, Subsea  

IRIS, a new six-fiber pair undersea cable system, will connect Iceland and Ireland with up to 108 Tbps of system capacity.Farice, the international connectivity provider fully owned by the Icelandic Government, has selected Subcom as the primary contractor.Currently, there are two other submarine cable systems that connect Iceland to Europe – FARICE-1 (2003) and DANICE (2009). IRIS will be approximately 1,700 km in length and connect south west...

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DigitalBridge forms ÍslandsTurnar - mobile towers for Iceland

Wednesday, December 15, 2021  Digital Bridge, Iceland, Towers  

DigitalBridge Group announced the formation of an independent mobile tower company in Iceland through the merger of the telecom tower portfolios of Sýn and Nova, two leading Icelandic mobile network operators.The new company, called ÍslandsTurnar, is backed by funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Investment Management. Both Sýn and Nova will be long-term customers of ÍslandsTurnar.ÍslandsTurnar is the first independent tower company of scale in Iceland...

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Iceland's Síminn awards 5-year contract to Ericsson

Icelandic telecommunications company Síminn awarded a 5-year network infrastructure contract to Ericsson.  The goal is for 90% 5G coverage across Iceland by the first half of 2025.

Orri Hauksson, CEO, Síminn says: "Our customers will see increasing data speeds, our companies will see new business opportunities, and the Icelandic industry will become increasingly competitive on an international level as we take one more step into the fourth industrial revolution. We look forward to further integrate our services with Ericsson's fast and stable network, a symbiosis that will build the backbone of Iceland as an IT nation.”

Niclas Backlund, Country Manager at Ericsson, comments on the collaboration: "Our relationship with Síminn stretches back more than a hundred years. Together, we have built great mutual trust and a willingness and capacity to lead the market. Our history is the primary key to our success. We will now implement our latest 5G technology, which brings better energy efficiency and flexibility than ever to Síminn’s mission-critical network.”

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DigitalBridge forms ÍslandsTurnar - mobile towers for Iceland

DigitalBridge Group announced the formation of an independent mobile tower company in Iceland through the merger of the telecom tower portfolios of Sýn and Nova, two leading Icelandic mobile network operators.

The new company, called ÍslandsTurnar, is backed by funds affiliated with DigitalBridge Investment Management. Both Sýn and Nova will be long-term customers of ÍslandsTurnar.

ÍslandsTurnar is the first independent tower company of scale in Iceland with national coverage to support the MNOs as they execute their 5G deployment plans. Sýn and Nova are slated to be long-term dual-anchor tenants on all of the Company’s towers and the transaction includes a material BTS 

DigitalBridge said the deal expands its presence in the Nordics, as the firm acquired Finland-based Digita Oy, an independent tower operator with a national portfolio of sites, in 2018.

“The creation of ÍslandsTurnar is a unique opportunity to establish a leading independent tower company in Iceland and support both Sýn and Nova in their operation of high-quality mobile networks as well as accelerating their 5G network deployment,” said Marc Ganzi, President and CEO of DigitalBridge. “We are excited to play a role in Iceland’s stable, attractive and digitally advanced telecom market, bringing DigitalBridge’s deep experience of successfully owning and operating tower portfolios on a global basis.”

“This is an exciting opportunity to set up the first independent tower company in my home market of Iceland. We are proud that two anchor tenants of the caliber and technical experience of Sýn and Nova have entrusted us with their mission-critical network infrastructure. I am looking forward to working with DigitalBridge to deliver high-quality telecommunication infrastructure services in Iceland,” said Joakim Reynisson. Mr. Reynisson, an industry veteran with more than 30 years of telecom experience, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of ÍslandsTurnar effective immediately. Prior to this role, Mr. Reynisson was Chief Technology Officer of Nova for over a decade.

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IRIS subsea cable to link Iceland to Ireland with up to 108 Tbps capacity

IRIS, a new six-fiber pair undersea cable system, will connect Iceland and Ireland with up to 108 Tbps of system capacity.

Farice, the international connectivity provider fully owned by the Icelandic Government, has selected Subcom as the primary contractor.

Currently, there are two other submarine cable systems that connect Iceland to Europe – FARICE-1 (2003) and DANICE (2009). 

IRIS will be approximately 1,700 km in length and connect south west of Iceland to Ballyloughane Strand in Galway, Ireland. Farice has already finalized the DTS and

marine survey work on Ireland’s continental shelf and will complete the remaining survey works to Iceland in 2021. Manufacture of the cable and equipment will take place at SubCom’s manufacturing headquarters in Newington, NH, USA during 2021 and early 2022, with main lay installation operations scheduled for summer 2022. The system is expected to be ready for service by the end of 2022.

“We are pleased to announce the contract in force for the IRIS undersea cable system, which we believe is an essential step for both the safety and security of Iceland. The system will also provide a new low latency connection between Iceland and Dublin that will bring Iceland closer to one of the key network hubs in Europe. In essence, the system will be a digital bridge between Iceland and Ireland and could, as such, advance the use of green energy in Iceland for international digital processing needs,” said Thorvardur Sveinsson, CEO of Farice. “Through our new IRIS system and existing DANICE system, a new North Atlantic Network route connecting Ireland, Iceland and Denmark is open. Having worked in partnership with SubCom to deploy one of our existing cable systems, we are confident in their design, manufacturing and installation capabilities and look forward to completing this highly impactful project.”

Farice opted to land the IRIS cable in Ireland, a nexus of trans-Atlantic connections and a center of European operations for many international businesses. IRIS will directly connect to a new high-speed undersea cable system that will enable more diverse, secure, high-speed connectivity between Iceland and mainland Europe.

“It is an honor to once again partner with Farice to supply a high-speed, high-capacity undersea cable system on behalf of the government and citizenry of Iceland,” said David Coughlan, CEO of SubCom. “Our experience in the region and commitment to delivering advanced systems ontime and on-budget will continue to benefit Farice as we move forward.” 

https://www.subcom.com/documents/2021/IRIS_CIF_SubCom_FARICE_Press_Release_5APRIL2021.pdf

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Iceland's Farice Upgrades Submarine Cable Network with Ciena GeoMesh

Farice, which provides fiber capacity from Iceland to mainland Europe, has deployed Ciena’s 100G coherent optical transport technology to upgrade its submarine cable system that connects Iceland and Scotland.

Farice selected Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform, powered by 100G WaveLogic 3 Coherent Optical Processors, and GeoMesh optical bypass for deployment on its 1,200 km submarine cable system, FARICE-1, and almost 800 km of terrestrial backhaul network where Ciena is the alien wavelength. This will provide high-bandwidth connectivity between Reykjavik and Keflavik, Iceland to Dunnet Bay, Scotland. It will also enable Farice to provide high-speed, reliable and flexible on-demand service delivery.

Ciena’s GeoMesh solution incorporates an all-optical network design to connect submarine and terrestrial segments into a single seamless link, with high-capacity optical signals carried as foreign wavelengths over the existing terrestrial backhaul network, reducing capital and operational expenses – savings that allow Farice to offer its customers higher capacity at more competitive prices. By allowing Farice to use the same technologies over land and undersea, it can efficiently interconnect its points of presence and service switching centers, with end-to-end service provisioning to make the global network operate as a single, unified network.

Additionally, GeoMesh’s simplified all-optical design delivers lower power consumption, therefore supporting Iceland’s green data center goals, while also supporting lower latency to improve connectivity between Iceland’s data centers and the rest of the world.

http://www.ciena.com
http://www.farice.is/

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Emerald Networks Signs Vodafone Iceland for New Cable

Vodafone Iceland has signed a contract for capacity on Emerald Networks's new submarine cable system, "Emerald Express", which is a new-build system connecting North America to Europe, with a branch to Iceland. The system is scheduled to be ready for service in Q3 2014, and Vodafone Iceland plans on using it for communications for at least the next 15 years. Vodafone is the first Icelandic company to sign a contract with Emerald Networks.

The cable landing station in Iceland is in the vicinity of Grindavik, and Emerald will provide backhaul to Reykjavik and on the Reykjanes Peninsula.

http://emeraldnetworks.com

• Emerald Networks' submarine cable system span 6,700 km along the "Great Circle" route connecting North America to Europe via Iceland. The company has previous calculated that this northerly route will have a latency of less than 62 milliseconds round trip from New York to London, making it one of the fastest networks across the Atlantic. 

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Farice Upgrades Iceland-Denmark Cable to 40G with Ciena

Farice, the main provider of international capacity from Iceland to mainland Europe, is upgrading the DANICE submarine cable system connecting Iceland with Denmark using Ciena's 40G coherent optical transport technology.  The cable system implements Ciena’s GeoMesh networking solution to optimize the cable landing stations for seamless connectivity to terrestrial networks. The upgraded DANICE submarine cable consists of four fiber pairs giving a maximum capacity of 35.2 Tbps.

Specifically, Farice is using Ciena’s 6500 Packet-Optical Platform for deployment on its 2,295 km long DANICE submarine cable system providing high-bandwidth connectivity between Landeyjar, Iceland and Blaabjerg, Denmark. The network will initially utilize Ciena’s 40G coherent transport technology, with ultra-long distance 100G wavelengths (based on the WaveLogic 3 coherent optical processors) to be deployed in 2013.  It will be managed by Ciena’s OneControl Unified Management System.  Financial terms were not disclosed.

http://www.ciena.com
http://www.farice.is

• In October 2012, Farice announced that BMW decided to move its HPC clusters to data centers in Iceland to take advantage of low cooling costs and renewable energy.

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