Colt provides Europe with the Channel's most capable cables
In collaboration with Getlink, Colt will be the single, exclusive party in control of all commercial discussions, renewals and new business in the Eurotunnel for the next 25 years.
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Introduction
Connecting the UK to mainland Europe, Colt and Getlink have refurbished the Eurotunnel - a subsea railway tunnel between England and France 51km long - with ultra-low latency, high bandwidth fibre optic cables.
Watch our video explaining the history of the project, its benefits to businesses in the UK and Europe, and what the continent's most secure connection is capable of.
Colt is now the sole digital infrastructure company with connectivity access between the UK and the mainland, with an exclusive deal for the next 25 years.
By virtue of the cables being securely stored within the confines of the tunnel itself, the data travelling across the Channel is protected against cybercrime and accidental damage from commercial fishing and shipping. Not only is the tunnel manned by security 24 hours a day, engineers also have access to the tunnel if an issue arises – offering a response time that’s lightning fast compared to typical subsea cables.
1. What does this partnership mean for the Eurotunnel?
Colt and Getlink signed an exclusive agreement to manage existing fibre infrastructure and to install and to operate a new fibre optic network through the Channel Tunnel in September 2021.
This 25-year agreement brings new Dark Fibre and Data services to the Channel Tunnel for the first time in a generation, deploying the latest connectivity technology between the UK and mainland Europe. Contracts for dark fibre date back to 1998 and they will progressively expire between now and 2025.
2. What will Colt provide?
Colt will add modern fibre along the 50.4km-long tunnel, of which 37.9km is under water
This deal delivers customers with access to its 100Gbps IQ network, supported by ultra-low latency
The Colt solution offers connectivity from London to Paris or Brussels
3. Project Benefits
Providing Europe with the Channel's most capable cables
Colt is furnishing the tunnel with G.652D fibre optics that are more than twice as wide in diameter as conventional cables.
A sturdier optic means it is less susceptible to bending – a disadvantage above ground – but subsea, the confine of the tunnel provides a safe space for cables made with extra fibres. The less you need to splice your cables, the longer you can make them; the longer you can make your cables, the faster the connection. The added capacity means the cables can transfer more data at once, and are future-proof too: if a higher bandwidth is needed in the future, only the transmitter and receiver need upgrading and not the cables themselves.
Using fibre optic cables with high bandwidth, designed for longer distances, means that those who rely on ultra-low latency can do so knowing that their data is travelling across the Channel’s most capable connection. Capital markets, traders and cloud-based, voice-enabled enterprises will benefit: the industries with the most stringent requirements on a fast, reliable network.
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Colt’s new fibre network will provide businesses and organisations with faster, more reliable, and uninterrupted data connectivity across borders. It will also support the growing demand for cloud computing and other digital services in both London and Paris, with a seamless end-to-end SLA.
Responsible for the day-to-day operations of all new cables installed in the Channel Tunnel, Colt boasts a transfer rate of several Tbps per fibre pair with the new infrastructure. With this evolution of the infrastructure, customers will have access to their 100Gbps/400Gbps Colt IQ network, supported by reliable low latency, high-bandwidth connectivity and service guarantees through the tunnel. The tunnel offers the best path to close a key network loop that runs between London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam.
In accordance with the Channel Tunnel’s safety and security regulations, all connectivity services will be highly secure. They will offer significantly more capacity than subsea cables and will be placed in a highly protected environment that is not vulnerable to piracy, ship anchors, commercial fishing, or shipping. The tunnel has had no accidents since its installation in 1994.
By virtue of the cables being securely stored within the confines of the tunnel itself, the data travelling across the Channel is protected against cybercrime and accidental damage from commercial fishing and shipping. Not only is the tunnel manned by security 24 hours a day, engineers also have access to the tunnel if an issue arises – offering a response time that’s lightning fast compared to typical subsea cables.
Watch our video explaining the history of the project, its benefits to businesses in the UK and Europe, and what the continent’s most secure connection is capable of.
Colt and Getlink announce a 25-year contract, which will see Colt install its IQ Network through the Channel Tunnel, allowing a transfer capacity of several Terabits per second per fibre pair.
This agreement will generate a minimum of €185m over the period for Getlink, with more than a third secured over the first five years. Colt will carry out the installation and entire operation of the IQ Network in accordance with the Channel Tunnel’s safety and security regulations, while Getlink will be responsible for maintenance. Colt will fully commercialise Getlink’s Channel Tunnel optic fibre and increase Getlink’s internal telecoms capacity – a unique subsea infrastructure and connectivity route that has never seen downtime.
The contracts for dark fibre installed in the Tunnel in 1998 will progressively expire until 2025, and Colt will take over their operation. The significant increase in bandwidth between the UK and mainland Europe will help meet the high growth in data traffic expected by 2025, making the Channel Tunnel a vital link not only for passengers and goods but also for data.
The Colt IQ Network is a 100Gbps optimised, high bandwidth and low latency network that connects over 900 data centres and over 29,000 on net buildings globally.
About Getlink
30Getlink SE (Euronext Paris) manages, through its subsidiary Eurotunnel, the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel and operates truck and passenger Shuttle Services (cars and coaches) between Folkestone (UK) and Calais (France). Eurotunnel is the concession holder and operator of the Channel Tunnel, the fastest, most reliable, easiest and most environmentally friendly way across the English Channel until 2086.
In 26 years, more than 460 million people and more than 90 million vehicles have travelled through the Channel Tunnel. This unique land link has become a vital link between the continent and the United Kingdom. Getlink also offers a rail freight business through its subsidiary Europorte, which offers a wide range of integrated rail services, as well as an electrical interconnection through its subsidiary ElecLink.
What to learn more about our Network?
Customers of all sizes across various business sectors benefit from the services that our network supports with the industry's highest standards in performance, latency and security.
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