Amazon Web Services (AWS) will launch Fastnet, a new transatlantic subsea fibre optic cable system connecting the US and Ireland.
Amazon said that Fastnet’s capacity will exceed 320 terabits per second, which is equivalent to streaming 12.5 million HD movies simultaneously.
The company said it is building the cable to meet rising demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and edge applications that use AWS. It added that the route will strengthen network resilience, reducing service disruption risks for AWS customers.
Fastnet will be the company’s first wholly owned subsea cable project. It will create alternative data pathways between Maryland in the US and County Cork in Ireland, delivering cloud and AI services across the Atlantic.
“Amazon’s new Fastnet transatlantic subsea cable represents a vote of confidence in Ireland’s digital future, helping to enable the next wave of innovation in cloud computing and AI,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin. “By linking County Cork to Maryland in the US, Ireland will become a true gateway to Europe for submarine telecommunications cables. This investment will enhance our global connectivity, reinforce the resilience of critical digital infrastructure, and strengthen our economic competitiveness.”
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