Press Release
Amazon Web Services (AWS) has announced plans for a dedicated transatlantic subsea cable, Fastnet, that will link Maryland in the United States with County Cork in Ireland. The system, due to enter service in 2028, is pitched as a high‑capacity route intended to bolster resilience and capacity for cloud and artificial intelligence traffic between North America and Europe.
Fastnet is designed with route diversity in mind. Rather than following established corridors, the cable will land at two strategic points intended to provide alternative pathways if other subsea cables are damaged or disrupted. AWS says the system will use advanced optical switching branching units to enable future changes in topology and to add landing points if required, a feature that could make the route more adaptable to evolving traffic patterns and growing AI workloads.
The cable is being built with protective measures in nearshore areas – including extra armouring and steel wire layers – to mitigate risks from natural hazards and human activity. AWS is quoting a design capacity in excess of 320 terabits per second (Tbps). The company illustrates that figure by saying the system could stream around 12.5 million HD films simultaneously, and could transmit the digitised Library of Congress several times per second.
Fastnet will be integrated into AWS’s private global network rather than the public internet. AWS highlights that its centralised traffic‑monitoring and automated network management tools offer complete visibility over routes and perform continuous optimisations to avoid congestion, claiming the capability to resolve the majority of network events automatically. For customers, the proposition is access to secured, scalable transatlantic bandwidth for applications ranging from generative AI to business continuity and research.
Local engagement is also a feature of the project. AWS says it has been working with communities on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and in County Cork and will establish Community Benefit Funds in both locations to support locally identified priorities, including STEM education, workforce development, environmental programmes and social services.
Irish and Maryland officials welcomed the investment. Taoiseach Micheál Martin described the cable as a “vote of confidence” in Ireland’s digital future, framing County Cork as a gateway to Europe for submarine cables. Maryland Governor Wes Moore said the project would help position the state as a centre for innovation and high‑tech investment.
Fastnet will join an expansive AWS infrastructure footprint that the company says already spans 38 regions and roughly nine million kilometres of fibre – a figure AWS uses to convey the scale of its private network. The subsea cable market remains competitive and politically sensitive: while large cloud operators and consortia continue to invest in bespoke links to secure capacity and control, regulators and governments are increasingly attentive to the strategic implications of undersea connectivity. Fastnet’s landing choices and resilience features suggest AWS is continuing that trend by seeking greater redundancy and control over transatlantic traffic.