Circe North: a short trans-North Sea submarine cable
Circe North is a submarine cable connecting
Lowestoft in the United Kingdom to
Zandvoort in the Netherlands, spanning a relatively short distance of 203 kilometers across the North Sea. It has been in service since 1999, according to GeoCables database records, and is currently owned by Zayo and euNetworks. While its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and underlying technology are not publicly disclosed, the cable is part of a busy corridor with multiple alternatives and landing points.
What makes Circe North notable is its role in providing connectivity between the UK and continental Europe through a direct route. However, there are uncertainties surrounding its technical specifications and performance metrics, as well as discrepancies between theoretical latency calculations and real-world measurements.
Quick facts
| Name | Circe North |
| Length | 203 km |
| Ready-for-service year | 1999 (GeoCables database value; no conflicting sources identified) |
| Owners | Zayo, euNetworks |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Lowestoft (United Kingdom); Zandvoort (Netherlands) |
| Alternatives in the same corridor | Zeus |
🗺 Show Circe North on the interactive cable map
Route
Circe North connects Lowestoft on the eastern coast of England to Zandvoort, a coastal town in the Netherlands. Both locations are established landing points for submarine cables, with Lowestoft hosting cables such as
IOEMA,
Scylla,
Tampnet South,
Ulysses 2, and Zeus, while Zandvoort serves as a landing site for
Concerto and Zeus. The cable spans the North Sea, a relatively shallow body of water, which simplifies cable-laying operations compared to deeper oceanic routes.
Why it was built and what it carries
Circe North was likely built to provide direct connectivity between the UK and the Netherlands, supporting data traffic between two major European economies. It serves as part of the broader infrastructure enabling international telecommunications, data exchange, and internet connectivity. While specific details about its traffic or capacity are not disclosed, its relatively short length suggests it is optimized for low-latency communications.
History: what can be established
Circe North was recorded as ready for service in 1999, according to GeoCables database records. No conflicting information about its RFS year has been identified in publicly available sources. It remains listed as in service, and ownership has been attributed to Zayo and euNetworks, two companies with significant stakes in European and global telecom infrastructure.
Capacity and technology
The design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and specific technology used in Circe North are not publicly disclosed. Without operator documentation, it cannot be stated whether the cable has undergone upgrades since its initial deployment or what its current capacity might be. This lack of transparency is not uncommon for older cables, especially those serving regional routes rather than intercontinental ones.
Latency: the physics
Theoretical calculations based on the cable's length of 203 kilometers suggest a one-way light propagation latency of approximately 1.0 milliseconds, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of about 2.0 milliseconds. However, real-world latency measurements from remote probes show significantly higher values. For example, the minimum observed RTT between Lowestoft and Zandvoort is 10.1 milliseconds, with an average of 25.7 milliseconds over 263 checks. These discrepancies are attributable to additional latency introduced by land tails, terminal equipment, and routing decisions in the broader internet path.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, connectivity between the UK and the Netherlands can rely on alternative cables in the same corridor, such as Zeus. Both Lowestoft and Zandvoort are well-connected landing points with multiple cables, reducing the risk of prolonged outages. Standard industry practices for submarine cable repair, including the use of cable ships and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), would apply to Circe North.
Bottom line
- Circe North connects Lowestoft in the UK to Zandvoort in the Netherlands, spanning 203 kilometers.
- It has been in service since 1999, with ownership attributed to Zayo and euNetworks.
- Technical specifications such as design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency is approximately 2.0 ms RTT, but real-world measurements are significantly higher due to land tails and routing.
- Redundancy is supported by alternative cables in the same corridor, such as Zeus.