In today’s hyper-connected world, the strength of your digital infrastructure can shape the trajectory of your business. Whether you’re moving vast volumes of data between cloud regions, ensuring continuity between international offices, or delivering seamless digital experiences to end-users – connectivity is no longer a utility, it’s a strategic asset.
That’s why we’re excited to share that Zayo Europe has acquired the remaining 50%, and now owns 100% of the Emerald Bridge Subsea Cable System – a critical fibre route connecting Wales and Dublin. With this acquisition, we’re taking a bold step toward providing our customers with even greater control, flexibility, and resilience across one of Europe’s most essential digital corridors.
This isn’t just a new chapter for Zayo Europe – it’s an important leap forward for every organisation that depends on secure, scalable, cross-border connectivity.
The UK–Ireland Corridor: A vital digital artery
The UK and Ireland aren’t just neighbours, they’re increasingly interlinked by shared digital priorities. Ireland, in particular, has rapidly become a global hub for data centres, cloud regions, financial institutions, and tech enterprises. At the same time, the UK remains one of the world’s most interconnected digital markets.
Together, these two regions form a powerful pairing. But connecting them effectively, and securely, requires more than just fibre in the ground. It demands infrastructure that is built for scale, optimised for performance, and protected against the unexpected.
That’s what Emerald Bridge delivers.
Emerald Bridge: More than a cable, It’s a commitment
The Emerald Bridge Subsea Cable System spans 135km, linking Parc Cybi (Wales) to Clonshaugh Data Centre (Dublin). It partially uses 96 strands of dark fibre to deliver high-capacity wavelength services, enabling hyperscalers, enterprises, and service providers to move data quickly, securely, and with confidence.
Originally deployed in 2012, the system was built with longevity and performance in mind. Since then, it’s been continually reinforced, most notably with the 2019 subsea upgrade when double armouring, deep burial and additional rock mattressing was introduced to sections which were of perceived risk. The result? A network that has seen zero faults in over six years.
And just last year, the entire system was re-tested to verify optical integrity. Attenuation is among the best in its class (just 0.19dB/km @1550nm), enabling reliable amplification and robust WDM performance without the need for higher-power alternatives like RAMAN.
This is infrastructure you can trust and infrastructure that isn’t just built for now, but for what is required in the future.
What full ownership means for our customers
So why does Zayo Europe’s full acquisition of Emerald Bridge matter to you?
Because it brings the entire system under one roof – one provider, one support team, one point of accountability. And that translates directly into value for your business:
- End-to-end service control
We now own and operate every kilometre of this route, which means no third-party handoffs, delays, or complications. Your services run faster and smoother, from provisioning to troubleshooting.
- Greater agility and responsiveness
Whether you’re launching a new node in Dublin, scaling bandwidth to support peak traffic, or upgrading your redundancy strategy, our full control allows for faster, more flexible delivery.
- Increased transparency
We can now give you full visibility into the lifecycle of your service, from fibre performance stats to route diversity options, without relying on outside entities.
- A platform for innovation
As your needs evolve, so can our offerings. Dark fibre, private dedicated networks, low-latency solutions, route protection, SLA enhancements – we’re now in a better position to tailor services to your unique requirements.
Securing the route, protecting your data
Subsea fibre lives in a physical world full of risks: anchoring ships, fishing trawlers, marine weather. That’s why we’ve invested in proactive protection.
Through Ultramap, our cable monitoring platform, we track vessel movements 24/7 in the vicinity of the Emerald Bridge route. When potential threats are detected, we intervene early. Our Marine Asset Protection NOC works directly with maritime communities, from ship captains to harbour authorities, to raise awareness and prevent accidents before they happen.
We also contribute to broader subsea safety efforts through the European Subsea Cable Association (ESCA), helping shape industry standards and support responsible marine practices.
What does all this mean for you? It means peace of mind. It means fewer disruptions. It means your cross-border traffic keeps flowing, no matter what’s happening above the surface.
The Bigger Picture: A network designed around you
This acquisition isn’t a standalone move – it’s part of a wider strategy. As demand for secure, high-capacity European infrastructure continues to grow, Zayo Europe is investing in the routes that matter most.
Emerald Bridge now forms a critical link within our expansive 400Gbps backbone and dark fibre routes – helping to connect Dublin seamlessly with key metros across Western Europe such as London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt. From long-haul fibre to metro access, from subsea cables to edge connectivity, we’re building a network fabric designed to support the ambitions of the most forward-looking businesses in the world.
And now, with full ownership of Emerald Bridge, we can offer a level of speed, reliability, and confidence on the UK–Ireland route that few others can match.
Ready to build for the future?
If your business depends on fast, reliable, cross-border connectivity, now is the time to take a closer look at what Zayo Europe offers.
Whether you need dark fibre, managed waves, or a complete network architecture between Dublin and the UK, we’re ready to help. Because when you own the infrastructure, you own the experience. And we believe our customers deserve the best of both.
Let’s talk about how Emerald Bridge can support your next phase of growth.