• EXA filed for Eliza North in May, while euNetworks filed for Eliza South in August, with the latter planned between Dublin Port and Anglesey
  • Both remain at the application stage, with construction timetables and full technical designs yet to be disclosed

The fact

EXA Infrastructure and euNetworks have filed separate applications with Ireland's Maritime Area Regulatory Authority for new subsea fibre cables between Ireland and Britain. EXA's Eliza North application was received on 11 May and remains listed as applied. The company said the project is at an early stage and that its route, capacity and timetable have not been fixed.

euNetworks' Eliza South application was received on 21 August and proposes a cable from Dublin Port to Anglesey in Wales. It also remains at the application stage. Both operators already run Ireland-UK connections: EXA operates CeltixConnect-1 and other subsea infrastructure on the corridor, while euNetworks' Rockabill cable links the Dublin area with Southport in England.

The assessment

Both companies already operate cables between Ireland and Britain, making the final routes important to what the new systems would add. A cable using a different landing and inland path can provide more physical diversity; one that overlaps existing corridors offers less protection against a local fault.

There is not yet enough detail to judge that. EXA has not fixed Eliza North's route, capacity or timetable, while euNetworks has identified Eliza South's endpoints without disclosing the full technical design. For BTW readers, these filings mark the start of two possible additions to an established cable corridor, not new capacity in service. Their practical value will depend on the final landings and terrestrial connections, and how far those routes are separated from existing infrastructure.

What to watch

Watch MARA's decisions, confirmed routes, landing facilities and terrestrial backhaul, followed by supplier appointments and ready-for-service dates. Marine survey and construction milestones would show whether either project is moving beyond early development. Final route maps will also show how much physical separation the new systems provide from existing Ireland-UK cables.