Aqua Comms selects Open Eir for €5m data centre connectivity

Aqua Comms, owner of the the $300m transatlantic fibre network AEConnect, has selected Eir’s wholesale arm Open Eir to provide the data-centre-to-data-centre connectivity as it comes ashore, as part of a €5 million deal.

Aqua Comms announced last year that it was building a $300 million fibre network running between Ireland and the US, capable of handling all data traffic for Europe and the US.

The final part of the network was connected in mid-Atlantic last December, and the network was scheduled to go live in January of this year.

Martin Reilly, vice president of sales, cloud and content at Aqua Comms said: “We needed a flexible and responsive terrestrial wholesale partner that could provide the fibre capacity, reach and security to reliably connect the cable landing station in Killala to our data centre locations in Dublin.”

He continued: “As our customers needs expand, we require the ability to scale the network capacity. Open Eir’s proposition met our needs and they were able to complete the work, ensuring Aqua Comms’ challenging timescales were satisfied.”

The partnership with Open Eir enables Aqua Comms to connect its $300 million, 5,536km transatlantic subsea cable system to Dublin data centres from its Killala cable landing station through a 350km terrestrial fibre connection.

From Dublin, the system links to the existing Aqua Comms Irish Sea Fibre network, CeltixConnect, and on to Wales and major data centres in London. In the US, the landing station connects to other major data centres throughout New York City and New Jersey.

“Dublin is already home to one of the largest clusters of data centres in Europe,” said Adrian Marron, head of sales and service management at Open Eir.

“Several IT multinationals currently have vast data centres under construction here as an increasing number of US companies view Ireland as a key entry point to access large European markets.

“By partnering with Open Eir, Aqua Comms’ customers are guaranteed one of most secure and fastest transits from major Dublin-based data centres to New York, London and Europe,” Marron said.

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, speaking at Killa Pier said:   “This allows Ireland to move with the digital changes that are happening worldwide,” Mr Kenny told a marquee packed with locals, official personnel, Aqua Comms staff and other business people.

“The majority of the world’s IT firms have invested in Ireland and need technology at this level. Ireland and Killala were at the vanguard of fulfilling this need,” he said.