Key takeaways
- EXA Infrastructure announced Project Visegrád in London on September 4th, 2025, the largest pan-European backbone fibre deployment in the region in 25 years
- New international fibre routes will link Warsaw, Poznań, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest into EXA’s hyperscale backbone in Berlin, Frankfurt and Vienna
- The project is named after the alliance of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary
- The first routes are expected to be ready for service in mid-2026, with additional routes scheduled through 2027
- Jim Fagan, CEO, says Central Europe’s international connectivity has historically lagged Western Europe
Project Visegrád announced
London, September 4th, 2025 – EXA Infrastructure, the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform connecting Europe and North America, today announced Project Visegrád, a landmark fibre deployment designed to transform connectivity across Central Europe.
Named after the historic political, economic and cultural alliance of Poland, Czechia, Slovakia and Hungary, Project Visegrád represents the largest pan-European backbone fibre deployment in the region in the last 25 years.
New routes into Berlin, Frankfurt and Vienna
The project will deliver new high-capacity international fibre routes linking Warsaw, Poznań, Prague, Bratislava and Budapest directly into EXA Infrastructure’s hyperscale backbone in Berlin, Frankfurt and Vienna. In parallel, EXA will expand its metro fibre footprints in Warsaw, Prague, Bratislava and Berlin to connect leading carrier-neutral data centres.
“Central Europe is one of the fastest-growing digital economies in Europe, yet its international connectivity has historically lagged Western Europe,” said Jim Fagan, CEO, EXA Infrastructure. “With Project Visegrád we are building the resilient, scalable backbone needed to unlock the region’s full potential, while extending EXA’s reach into new growth markets across the Balkans, Turkey and beyond.”
How the backbone is built
The new backbone will be built with HDPE ducts containing multiple microducts to maximise scalability and flexibility. The initial deployment will use 216-fibre Corning Ultra G.652D cable, while the microduct design enables seamless upgrades to next-generation technologies such as hollow-core fibre.
To ensure ultra-high availability, the majority of the routes are within protected corridors adjacent to oil and gas infrastructure such as the Druzhba (“friendship”) oil pipeline.
Build specification
- HDPE ducts containing multiple microducts to maximise scalability and flexibility
- Initial deployment with 216-fibre Corning Ultra G.652D cable
- Microduct design enables upgrades to next-generation technologies such as hollow-core fibre
- Most routes run within protected corridors adjacent to oil and gas infrastructure such as the Druzhba oil pipeline
“This infrastructure will set a new benchmark for optical performance and resilience in Central Europe,” added Jim Fagan. “It will also provide a future-proof foundation for hyperscalers, carriers and enterprises that require the highest standards of connectivity.”
The first Project Visegrád routes are expected to be ready for service in mid-2026, with additional routes scheduled through 2027.
About EXA Infrastructure
EXA Infrastructure is an award-winning portfolio company of I Squared Capital and the largest dedicated digital infrastructure platform throughout Europe, connecting North America and Asia via the Middle East. With over 20 years of experience in building resilient networks, EXA Infrastructure provides the critical modern infrastructure and unrivalled engineering expertise that serves as the backbone for digital and economic growth. This includes mission-critical networks for governments and enterprises, hyperscale infrastructure for the world’s most innovative and influential businesses, and ultra-low latency, high bandwidth networks for financial, gaming and broadcast services.
Headquartered in London, the company owns 155,000 kilometres of fibre network across 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables and the lowest latency link between Europe and North America. For more information, see exainfra.net.
