Rockabill

Overview

Rockabill is a submarine cable system spanning 221 kilometers across the Irish Sea, connecting Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is a short-haul, point-to-point system designed to provide direct connectivity between the two countries. Operational since 2019, Rockabill plays a critical role in facilitating data transmission across this regional corridor, serving as an essential infrastructure component for both nations’ digital communications.

The cable’s relatively compact length reflects its focused purpose: linking the Irish and British coastlines without extending into broader intercontinental networks. Its geographical scope makes it a specialized system within the submarine cable landscape, addressing regional connectivity needs rather than global bandwidth demands.

Route and Landings

Rockabill’s route crosses the Irish Sea, a body of water separating the eastern coast of Ireland from the western coast of Great Britain. On the Irish side, the cable lands at Portrane, a coastal town located north of Dublin. Portrane’s proximity to Dublin, a major urban and economic hub, enhances the cable’s strategic importance for Ireland’s connectivity infrastructure.

On the British side, the cable terminates at Southport, a seaside town on England’s northwest coast. Southport’s location near Liverpool and Manchester provides access to key metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom. Together, these landing points define a direct east-west trajectory across the Irish Sea, bypassing the longer and more circuitous routes of other submarine cable systems that serve the region.

The Irish Sea itself is a relatively shallow and enclosed body of water, making it a suitable environment for laying submarine cables. This route is critical for supporting cross-border communications and data exchange between Ireland and the United Kingdom.

Ownership and History

Rockabill is owned and operated by euNetworks, a European bandwidth infrastructure company. As the sole owner, euNetworks maintains full control over the cable’s capacity and operational management. The company specializes in providing high-performance connectivity solutions across Europe, and Rockabill forms part of its regional network portfolio.

The cable was ready for service in 2019, marking its entry into the Ireland-United Kingdom submarine cable inventory. Its development reflects the growing demand for reliable and high-speed data connections between the two countries, driven by economic ties and increasing digitalization. Unlike longer systems that serve multiple countries or continents, Rockabill is tailored to address the specific needs of the Ireland-UK corridor.

While Rockabill is a relatively recent addition to the region’s submarine cable infrastructure, it complements existing systems such as EXA North and South, which also traverse the Irish Sea but cover broader geographic areas. Rockabill’s focused design ensures efficient and direct connectivity for its intended bilateral route.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of Rockabill has provided detailed insights into its performance. Across 252 measured corridors, the cable has demonstrated a best round-trip time (RTT) of 20 milliseconds, with an average RTT of 39 milliseconds. These latency figures are consistent with the cable’s short physical distance of 221 kilometers, underscoring its efficiency in transmitting data between Ireland and the United Kingdom.

The cable’s minimal latency is particularly important for applications that require real-time data exchange, such as financial transactions, cloud computing, and streaming services. Rockabill’s performance metrics highlight its reliability as a regional connectivity solution.

By providing low-latency connectivity across the Irish Sea, Rockabill supports critical infrastructure needs for businesses, governments, and communities in both Ireland and the United Kingdom. Its measurements confirm the cable’s role as a high-speed, dependable link in the region’s digital ecosystem.