Orange is backing a new subsea cable route for Europe’s digital traffic.
The operator has formed a joint venture with Equitix and MDM. The project, named Pisces, aims to connect Ireland with mainland Europe.
The proposed cable will run about 3,125 kilometers. It will link Galway, Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez, Sopelana, and Carcavelos. Orange plans to build a new landing station in Sopelana, Spain.
This matters because Ireland is a major European cloud hub. Many hyperscalers and AI companies operate data centers there. Better direct routes can improve resilience and reduce dependence on existing paths.
The European Union will partly fund the project. Support will come through the Connecting Europe Facility. That backing shows how strategic subsea infrastructure has become.
However, subsea projects remain complex. They need permits, marine surveys, landing rights, and strong demand forecasts. Costs can also rise before service begins.
Carine Romanetti will lead the joint venture as CEO. She brings recognized subsea cable expertise to the project. That experience should help during planning and deployment.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Business has introduced Express Capacity. The service offers 100G or 400G transport links within 15 days. It targets large firms expanding cloud and AI workloads.
The service will use Vodafone’s European backbone network. Initial routes will connect London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Marseille, and Milan. Fast provisioning could help enterprises avoid long deployment waits.
Still, the launch starts on existing routes only. That limits flexibility for companies outside those corridors. Wider coverage will decide its longer-term value.
In satellite news, Ukraine faced a serious connectivity controversy. Military bloggers accused SpaceX of restricting Starlink terminals during Russian missile attacks. The claims followed reports of failed missions and missing warnings.
Serhiy Beskrestnov, described as an adviser to Ukraine’s President Zelensky, said: “Our armed forces did not receive a warning about these restrictions and this led to the failure of a number of missions. It’s clear that this action cannot be a coincidence and is connected to the current political situation.”
The situation highlights a hard lesson for modern networks. Critical communications now depend on commercial platforms and political decisions. That creates speed and reach, but also exposure.
Elsewhere, creditors have sued Patrick Drahi’s Altice International in New York. They allege the company moved assets beyond their reach. The case adds pressure to Altice’s ongoing debt dispute.
Netflix also expanded its live sports ambitions in Spain. It secured rights to the 2030 soccer World Cup. Spain’s matches, semi-finals, and final will remain free-to-air.
In the Gulf, Du claimed a world first with U6GHz over 5G. The operator says it prepares the path toward future 6G services.
Finally, KPN joined Dutch banks and partners on MyCheck. The digital ID system aims to meet new EU requirements. It also offers a local alternative to global technology platforms.
