Colt Technology Services (Colt) has successfully completed the deployment of a new dark fibre (G.652D/G.657) cable along the Channel Tunnel connecting London, UK to Paris, France.
The new network is designed to provide businesses and organisations with faster, more reliable, and uninterrupted data connectivity across borders. It will also help to support the growing demand for cloud computing and other digital services in both London and Paris.
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of all new cables installed in the Channel Tunnel, Colt boasts a transfer rate of several Tb/s per-fibre-pair with the new infrastructure, allowing customers access to their 100Gb/s/400Gb/s Colt IQ network.
In accordance with the Channel Tunnel’s safety and security regulations, all connectivity services are designed to be highly secure.
Colt says that the services will offer more capacity than subsea cables and will be placed in a highly protected environment that is not vulnerable to piracy, ship anchors, commercial fishing, or shipping. Herve Jost, Director of Eurotunnel/Getlink Connectivity Solutions at Colt Technology Services explains: “We are pleased to announce the successful completion of this step of this important project. Approximately 80% of the internet traffic which runs between the UK and mainland Europe today travels through the Channel Tunnel. It is crucial to increase the bandwidth, enhance performance, bolster reliability, and fortify the security of our network. This is vital to ensure a continuous and uninterrupted flow of data, specifically to address peak demand and new bandwidth needs within the Channel Tunnel, driven by new technologies such as AI and Metaverse. Our new fibre cable in the tunnel will transform the subterranean rail link between the UK and mainland Europe into a major data route to support the anticipated growth in traffic over the coming years.”