Amazon Web Services (AWS) is building a new transatlantic subsea cable system linking the US and Ireland known as Fastnet.
Fastnet is set for deployment in 2028 and will link Maryland and County Cork with a line offering more than 320 terabits per second. The cloud computing giant said equates to the entire digitized Library of Congress every three seconds, or 12.5 million HD films at the same time.
The aim of the Fastnet link is to boost capacity but also network resilience, with AWS insisting it will reduce service disruptions for its customers by offering an additional access point in case other cables have issues – a promise that comes weeks after a massive AWS outage caused by a DNS fault.
The cables are part of AWS' growing private network, which began in earnest back in 2016 and now makes up over nine million kilometers of cabling over land and under sea.
AWS noted that unlike the public internet, which requires networking devices to make a routing decision with limited network visibility, its own system uses real-time traffic monitoring for "complete visibility into every link within the global network”.
This, the tech giant said, will help optimize performance and avoid traffic congestion.
AWS eyes scalable networking
AWS said Fastnet makes use of advanced optical switching branching unit technology, a piece of kit that splits traffic via different routes, letting AWS choose the best path by remotely reconfiguring the system.
"This state-of-the-art unit is strategically positioned on the cable route, enabling seamless redirection of data to future landing points as network demands evolve," AWS said.
"This scalable architecture is specifically designed to handle growing AI traffic loads, allowing customers to rapidly expand their data demands while the system adapts to accommodate future growth."
Beyond that, AWS said it has armored the cable with extra layers of steel wires in areas closer to shore to protect against "natural and human activity". That comes a year after two Baltic subsea cables were severed in what appeared to be sabotage.
Notably, the landing point locations in Ireland and Maryland were carefully chosen to offer a route away from traditional cable corridors.
That offers a backup route if other cables have issues, but also lets AWS create a network designed to support growing demands from cloud computing, AI, and edge applications.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin welcomed the announcement, adding that the investment will help “reinforce the resilience of critical digital infrastructure” across the Republic of Ireland.
"By linking County Cork to Maryland in the United States, Ireland will become a true gateway to Europe for submarine telecommunications cables," Martin said.
Wes Moore, Governor of Maryland, added: "Building Maryland’s first-ever subsea fiber cable is an achievement bigger than broadband connectivity — it’s about securing Maryland’s status as a global hub for innovation, job creation, and high-tech investment."
"To grow our economy, we need to prioritize industries of the future," Moore added. "That is exactly what this project helps us deliver, in partnership with leaders with deep local ties and robust commitment to community engagement."
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