EXA Infrastructure has chosen Nokia’s 1830 Global Express (GX) platform and ICE7 1.2T coherent optics to upgrade its international optical backbone network. The upgrade will increase network capacity by up to 15 percent and reduce power and cost per bit by as much as 50 percent. These improvements will help EXA support growing demand for high-performance connectivity services between data centers, hyperscalers, governments, and enterprises across 37 countries.
The selection follows an industry-first trial of Nokia’s ICE7 platform in Europe. EXA Infrastructure operates 155,000 kilometers of fiber and owns six transatlantic cables, including the lowest-latency route between Europe and North America. The network modernization is aimed at improving energy efficiency while delivering terabit-scale transport capacity, aligning with the AI-driven increase in global bandwidth demand.
- EXA Infrastructure to deploy Nokia’s 1830 GX platform with ICE7 1.2T optics
- Upgrade boosts network capacity by 15 percent while cutting cost and power per bit by 50 percent
- Network spans 155,000 km across 37 countries, including six transatlantic routes
- Provides ultra-low latency connections between key global data center regions
- Trial deployment of ICE7 in Europe marked an industry first for the platform
- Modernized optical transport improves scalability and sustainability in the AI era
“Nokia’s 1830 GX solution with ICE7 coherent optics ensures a smooth transition from our existing ICE6-based infrastructure. The advanced performance of ICE7 will significantly enhance connectivity, empowering EXA Infrastructure’s global network to deliver robust services that keep pace with increasing bandwidth demands,” said Ciaran Delaney, Chief Operating Officer at EXA Infrastructure.
- EXA Infrastructure, headquartered in London, is a privately held company owned by I Squared Capital, a global infrastructure investment firm. Formed in 2021 through the acquisition of GTT Communications’ infrastructure division, EXA has rapidly established itself as a major force in international fiber connectivity. The company is led by CEO Martijn Blanken, formerly Group Managing Director at Telstra. EXA operates a 155,000-kilometer fiber network spanning 37 countries, including six transatlantic cables and extensive metro networks in key European and North American markets. Over the past two years, EXA has expanded its footprint through strategic investments in dark fiber routes, low-latency corridors, and partnerships with hyperscalers and major data center operators, including new terrestrial routes between Paris and Marseille and metro expansions in Madrid, London, and Frankfurt.
