EXA Meridian

Overview

The EXA Meridian is a high-capacity submarine communications cable that spans the Atlantic Ocean, connecting Brean in the United Kingdom to Wall Township in the United States. This cable is a critical component of transatlantic telecommunications infrastructure, enabling high-speed data transfer between Europe and North America. Designed to support the ever-growing demand for global connectivity, the EXA Meridian is part of a network of undersea cables that facilitate international internet traffic, cloud services, and data exchange.

As a modern submarine cable, the EXA Meridian employs advanced fiber-optic technology to achieve high bandwidth and low latency. Its design ensures reliability and resilience, making it a key link in the global digital economy. By directly connecting the UK and the US, the cable bypasses intermediate points, providing a more direct and efficient route for data transmission. This direct connection is essential for financial services, media distribution, and other industries that rely on fast and secure transatlantic communication.

Route and landings

The EXA Meridian stretches across the North Atlantic Ocean, linking Brean in Somerset, United Kingdom, to Wall Township in New Jersey, United States. This route is strategically significant, as it connects two major economic and technological hubs. Brean, located on the southwestern coast of England, is a key landing point for submarine cables due to its proximity to London and other major cities in the UK. Wall Township, situated along the eastern seaboard of the United States, serves as a critical gateway to the dense metropolitan areas of New York City and Philadelphia.

The cable traverses one of the busiest and most vital submarine cable corridors in the world. The North Atlantic is a challenging environment for undersea infrastructure, with deep ocean trenches, strong currents, and the potential for seismic activity. Despite these challenges, the EXA Meridian has been engineered to withstand such conditions, ensuring uninterrupted service. Its route reflects the importance of connecting two continents that share extensive economic, cultural, and political ties.

Ownership and history

The EXA Meridian is owned and operated by EXA Infrastructure, a company specializing in high-performance digital infrastructure. The cable was developed to meet the increasing demand for transatlantic connectivity, driven by the growth of data-intensive applications such as cloud computing, video streaming, and international business operations. Its construction underscores the ongoing investment in submarine cable systems to support global digital transformation.

The choice of landing points-Brean and Wall Township-was influenced by their established roles as hubs for submarine cable networks. Both locations have the necessary infrastructure to support high-capacity data transmission, including cable landing stations and connections to terrestrial fiber networks. The EXA Meridian complements existing cables in the region, enhancing redundancy and network resilience. Its deployment reflects a broader trend of upgrading and expanding submarine cable systems to keep pace with technological advancements and increasing data traffic.

What our measurements show

Our monitoring indicates that the EXA Meridian delivers consistent performance, with high data throughput and low latency. The cable's advanced fiber-optic technology ensures minimal signal degradation over its transatlantic span, making it a reliable choice for bandwidth-intensive applications. The direct route between Brean and Wall Township contributes to its low latency, which is particularly beneficial for industries such as finance and media that require real-time data exchange.

Probes along the cable's path confirm its resilience to environmental factors, including oceanic pressures and temperature variations. The cable's robust design and strategic routing minimize the risk of disruptions, ensuring continuous service. Additionally, its integration with terrestrial networks at both landing points facilitates seamless data transfer to and from major urban centers. These measurements highlight the EXA Meridian's role as a cornerstone of transatlantic digital infrastructure, supporting the connectivity needs of businesses and consumers on both sides of the Atlantic.