Google to deploy Grace Hopper submarine cable to connect U.S., UK, Spain
Google, via a blog written by Bikash Koley, vice president of Google Global Network, has revealed plans to deploy the Grace Hopper transatlantic submarine cable system. The submarine network will connect New York City with Bude, UK, and Bilbao, Spain. Deployment of the undersea system should be completed in 2022.
SubCom will deploy Grace Hopper, which will join Curie, Dunant, and Equiano on Google’s roster of private submarine cables. According to Koley, the new undersea cable will be linked to Equiano, which runs between Portugal and the west coast of Africa (see “Google plans Equiano submarine cable link from Portugal to South Africa”). The 16-fiber-pair undersea cable is the first Google investment in a private subsea cable to the UK as well as its first route to Spain of any kind. In an accompanying video, Koley states that the submarine cable will leverage optical fiber switching technology integrated in collaboration with Subcom to improve system reliability. This is the first use of the switching technology, according to Koley, who did not elaborate on its nature. The capacity of the system was not revealed.
Grace Brewster Murray Hopper (1906–1992) was a computer science pioneer who helped develop one of the first linkers (compilers), a key element in the development of the COBOL programming language.
For related articles, visit the Network Design Topic Center.
For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.
To stay abreast of fiber network deployments, subscribe to Lightwave’s Service Providers and Datacom/Data Center newsletters.
Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.