Following a successful launch to the GÉANT community at TNC22, the GN4-3N project has gone from strength to strength, facing down a global semiconductor shortage and resultant equipment delays finishing 2022 on schedule.
In the past 12 months over 5,000km of dark fibre or spectrum has been lit and a further 12 countries connected to fibre.
This brings the total so far to over 19,000km of dark fibre or spectrum now lit and 25 countries connected to the new network, and the project is moving into an exciting final phase as we look towards 2023.
“I’m delighted with the progress that has been made,” adds Paul Shelswell, GN4-3N Programme Manager. “Given the obstacles we’ve had to overcome, I’m really proud that together with all our partners we’ve been able to keep things moving forward consistently. Over the next 2-3 months we’ll see more new routes going into production and the footprint of the new network will continue to expand.”
The next routes to deploy are those linking Amsterdam to Brussels; Paris to Brussels; Luxembourg to Frankfurt; Madrid to Bilbao; and Hamburg to Copenhagen.
This is truly a pan-European network fit for the next generation, with lower operating costs and substantial improvements in energy consumption and it stands ready to support European research and education long into the future.
Roll on, 2023!
