Imagine the internet as a series of pipes. Right now, the pipes connecting Europe to the rest of the world are getting too small for the massive amount of data scientists are moving. This project is like upgrading those pipes to super-sized highways so that huge files from global experiments can travel instantly without getting stuck in traffic.
European research and industry face a bottleneck where existing intercontinental data links cannot keep up with a 35% annual growth in traffic. This limits the ability to collaborate on global big-science projects and threatens digital sovereignty.
A new intercontinental connectivity investment programme including the procurement of physical network links and a long-term investment roadmap.
If you are a cable provider dealing with increasing demand for intercontinental bandwidth — this project developed a procurement and investment roadmap that secures long-term contracts for high-capacity links. This ensures a steady stream of high-volume traffic from European research hubs.
If you are a firm dealing with massive data sets from fusion experiments — this project developed secure, high-capacity connectivity that allows for the rapid transfer of data across continents. This reduces the time spent waiting for data synchronization between global sites.
If you are a provider dealing with the need for digital sovereignty and secure data movement — this project developed a network architecture that prioritizes confidentiality and security. This allows for the safe movement of sensitive climate and electronics research data.
Based on available project data, the EU is contributing EUR 15,000,000 to implement the connectivity programme, but specific end-user pricing is not listed.
The project operates at a global scale, managing traffic where 25% of research data originates or ends outside continental Europe and is designed to handle a 35% annual growth rate.
Based on available project data, the project focuses on procurement and implementation of links rather than patentable software, with no specific licensing terms mentioned.
It builds directly upon the GN4-3N project's expanded fibre footprint, using that backbone to connect to subsea cables and global telecoms.
The project runs from December 2022 to November 2026, during which it will procure and implement links and establish a long-term investment roadmap.
The consortium is led by an SME (GÉANT Vereniging) and consists of 12 partners across 10 countries. While it is heavily weighted toward 'Other' organizations (6 partners), it maintains a 17% industry ratio with 2 industrial partners and 3 SMEs, indicating a strong link between public research infrastructure and commercial telecom providers.
Contact GÉANT Vereniging in the Netherlands for procurement and connectivity roadmaps.
Contact us to identify how your data-heavy industry can leverage GÉANT's intercontinental capacity.
