AEConnect (AEC-1) is a

submarine communications cable A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the seabed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean and sea. The first submarine communications cables were laid beginning in the 1850s and car ...

privately owned by Aqua Comms linking the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...

. The cable has extended connectivity via the CeltixConnect cable to

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

. Originally the cable project was called Emerald Express managed by Emerald Networks, and was intended to include a cable landing in

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

, however after being unable to secure funding the project ownership was transferred to the current owner. The cable began construction in April 2015. The cable spans 5536 km between landing stations in Shirley, USA and

Killala Killala () is a village in County Mayo in Ireland, north of Ballina. The railway line from Dublin to Ballina once extended to Killala. To the west of Killala is the townland of Townsplots West (known locally as Enagh Beg), which contains a num ...

, Ireland. The cable's final splice was made in November 2015 and was declared to be ready for service in January 2016

References

Transatlantic communications cables Submarine communications cables in the North Atlantic Ocean Infrastructure completed in 2016 Ireland–United States relations Coastal construction Telecommunications equipment History of telecommunications 2016 establishments in Ireland 2016 establishments in New York (state) {{US-company-stub