GÉANT and Exa seal 15-year deal to future-proof transatlantic research connectivity

June 10, 2025 10:03 AM

GÉANT, Europe’s leading collaboration of National Research and Education Networks (NRENs), has signed a long-term agreement with Exa Infrastructure to boost transatlantic connectivity dedicated to research and education (R&E) collaboration between Europe and North America.

The agreement, part of the GN5-IC1 project supporting GÉANT’s intercontinental connectivity investments, grants GÉANT an Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) for 15 years on two fully diverse subsea cable systems.

Leveraging Exa’s advanced spectrum solutions, GÉANT will establish two high-speed, resilient routes linking its pan-European network with North American partners.

The new routes, expected to be operational by Autumn 2025, were planned in close collaboration with the US Department of Energy’s Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) and other international partners in the Advanced North Atlantic (ANA) collaboration, including CANARIE (Canada), Internet2 (US), and NORDUnet (Nordic countries).

R&E traffic between Europe and North America is critical to scientific collaboration, with the latter accounting for more than 75% of GÉANT’s current intercontinental data flow.

With data-intensive global initiatives such as the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (LHC), ITER, and the SKA Observatory set to ramp up, demand for robust, scalable transatlantic connectivity is only expected to increase.

GÉANT’s investment ensures long-term terabit capacity while supporting European digital sovereignty and reinforcing the resilience of global research infrastructure. The dual-route design will also enhance network continuity and mitigate potential disruptions.

“This strategic investment, planned in coordination with our community and with our global partners, will ultimately fortify the global research and education networking infrastructure and strengthen European sovereignty and competitiveness by supporting global scientific advancements for the next 15 years,” said Lise Fuhr, CEO of GÉANT.

Exa Infrastructure CEO Jim Fagan added: “That trust has now been further strengthened through this new agreement, which provides GÉANT with dedicated high-speed capacity through advanced spectrum solutions across two diverse, state-of-the-art transatlantic cable systems – ensuring robust, long-term support for the research and education community’s growing connectivity needs.”