Key takeaways
- GÉANT and EXA Infrastructure have signed a long-term IRU agreement to expand transatlantic Research and Education (R&E) connectivity between Europe and North America
- The contract gives GÉANT dedicated high-speed capacity via spectrum on two fully diverse transatlantic subsea cables for the next 15 years
- The two new routes were procured under GN5-IC1 and are expected to become operational in Autumn 2025
- North America currently accounts for over 75% of the intercontinental traffic leaving or entering the GÉANT network
- The investment was planned in coordination with ESnet and the Advanced North Atlantic (ANA) collaboration partners
GÉANT and EXA Infrastructure sign IRU agreement
GÉANT and EXA Infrastructure announce IRU agreement for terabit expansion of transatlantic R&E connectivity between Europe and North America
GÉANT, the collaboration of European National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), and digital infrastructure provider EXA Infrastructure are excited to announce the signature of an historical long-term agreement to deliver a major expansion of the transatlantic connectivity dedicated to Research and Education (R&E) collaboration between Europe and North America.
Procured under GN5-IC1, the ambitious project planning and implementing GÉANT’s intercontinental connectivity investments, the new Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) contract with EXA Infrastructure grants GÉANT dedicated high-speed capacity via spectrum solutions across two transatlantic cable systems for the next 15 years. In particular, through the agreement GÉANT will establish two new routes between its pan-European network and its partners in North America, acquiring spectrum capacity on two fully diverse transatlantic subsea cables.
GÉANT’s long-term investment was planned in close coordination with the US Department of Energy’s Energy Sciences Network (ESnet), also in the process of upgrading their transatlantic connectivity towards Europe, as well as with the other leading international networking organisations involved in the Advanced North Atlantic (ANA) collaboration, including, CANARIE (Canada), Internet2 (US), KREONET (South Korea), NORDUnet (Nordic countries), SURF (the Netherlands), SINET (Japan), and the NEA3R project coordinated by Indiana University (US), as well as GÉANT and ESnet.
| Organisation | Country or region |
|---|---|
| ESnet (US Department of Energy) | US |
| CANARIE | Canada |
| Internet2 | US |
| KREONET | South Korea |
| NORDUnet | Nordic countries |
| SURF | the Netherlands |
| SINET | Japan |
| NEA3R project (Indiana University) | US |
The two new routes are expected to become operational in Autumn 2025.
Why the expansion matters
Supporting transatlantic scientific collaboration, European digital sovereignty, and increased network resilience
R&E collaboration between Europe and North America has long been a cornerstone of scientific advancement, underpinned by the intercontinental infrastructure provided by the global research and education networking community. The scale of the R&E data exchange between the two continents is made evident by traffic patterns, with North America currently accounting for over 75% of the intercontinental traffic either leaving or entering the pan-European GÉANT network.
Additionally, GÉANT’s intercontinental traffic with all world regions is also expected to grow significantly in the coming years, driven by global, data-intensive scientific collaborations and projects such as CERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC), with the High Luminosity LHC as well as ITER and the SKA Observatory due to become operational.
GÉANT’s connectivity investment with EXA Infrastructure is aimed at responding to this growing demand, with terabit capacity and for the long term. This connectivity upgrade will also ensure European ownership and control of critical infrastructure, strengthening digital and hence strategic autonomy. Moreover, the introduction of two new transatlantic routes will enhance the resilience and robustness of the global fabric of research and education networking, contributing to the back-up mechanisms established under the ANA Collaboration and thus supporting service continuity in the face of potential disruptions.
What the upgrade delivers
- Terabit capacity, for the long term
- European ownership and control of critical infrastructure
- Two new transatlantic routes that enhance the resilience of the global R&E fabric
- Support for the back-up mechanisms established under the ANA Collaboration
Investing today to support the scientific breakthroughs of tomorrow
The agreement constitutes a defining milestone for the GN5-IC1 project, which – having already established a new GÉANT link towards the Asia-Pacific region - is now set to deliver long-term connectivity for GÉANT to a second world region in need of immediate expansion.
GÉANT’s investment follows from a detailed and comprehensive process of evaluation, assessment and consultation within its community and with its governance bodies, and is aligned with the strategic pillars and guidelines for GÉANT’s intercontinental connectivity investments defined by the GN5-IC1 project. The acquisition of spectrum, rather than fixed capacity, will provide GÉANT with a future-proof solution, while maintaining costs controlled over the long-term and allowing scalability in line with the needs of global Research and Education collaboration.
What the two CEOs said
Lise Fuhr, GÉANT CEO: “We are excited to work with EXA Infrastructure on this fundamental connectivity upgrade with North America, the world region accounting for most of GÉANT’s intercontinental connectivity traffic. This strategic investment, planned in coordination with our community and with our global partners, will ultimately fortify the global research and education networking infrastructure and strengthen European sovereignty and competitiveness by supporting global scientific advancements for the next 15 years”
Jim Fagan, EXA Infrastructure CEO: "We are proud of the trust GÉANT places in our ability to deliver the right solutions, precisely when they are needed. Since 2012, GÉANT has relied on EXA Infrastructure for a key part of its network. That trust has now been further strengthened through this new agreement, which provides GÉANT with dedicated high-speed capacity through advanced spectrum solutions across two diverse, state-of-the-art transatlantic cable systems - ensuring robust, long-term support for the research and education community’s growing connectivity needs."
About GÉANT
GÉANT is Europe’s leading collaboration on network and related infrastructure and services for the benefit of research and education, contributing to Europe’s economic growth and competitiveness. The organisation develops, delivers, and promotes advanced network and associated e-infrastructure services, and supports innovation and knowledge-sharing amongst its members, partners, and the wider research and education networking community.
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
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