Subsea telecommunication cables form the backbone of global digital communication, carrying an estimated 97-98% of all internet traffic. As such, it is critical that they should be robust, resilient, secure and redundant, explains Elizabeth Sandström Greenfield, Sweden’s national contact point for the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme and Broadband Competence Office (BCO).
As the role of digital communication grows exponentially, and the need for much higher data capacity and speeds alongside it, it is necessary to upgrade and expand this vital infrastructure. As Ms Sandström Greenfield notes, Europe experiences approximately 100 cable fault incidents per year, and these must be addressed. However, as Tom McMahon (founder of McMahon Design & Management (MDM)), notes, there are significant challenges.
The demand for subsea cabling has outpaced the availability of marine vessels needed for surveying and installation. This shortage, combined with intense competition for sea space from offshore wind farms, oil and gas pipelines, and electrical interconnectors, complicates cable deployment. Navigating the regulatory hurdles for new projects adds further complexity. Time pressure is an additional challenge, as three years is the typical required timeline from conception to completion of a new cable.
As Ms Sandström Greenfield explains, “the private sector cannot bear the cost alone”. Public funding plays an instrumental role in supporting subsea cable projects; in particular, the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme. Sweden alone has secured CEF funding for seven projects, four of which involve submarine cables. Mr McMahon confirms, “CEF funding is extremely useful for helping to develop the subsea cable projects and to be able to move the projects further at a much faster rate”, noting that CEF funding made “an enormous difference” for the PISCES system project, connecting the West Coast of Ireland to Portugal, France and Spain.
Collaboration and coordination between public and private sectors is essential to overcoming these challenges and ensuring that Europe’s subsea cable network is secure, efficient and future-ready: a priority for the continent’s digital economy.
This video was filmed as part of the European Broadband Competence Offices (BCO) Network’s work to raise awareness of EU support for high-speed broadband deployment and share good practices in broadband projects. Discover more interviews in the BCO Network YouTube playlist and more broadband good practices, news and resources in the BCO Network Library.