Amazon Web Services (AWS) will launch Fastnet, a new transatlantic subsea fibre optic cable system connecting the US and Ireland.
Amazon said that Fastnet’s capacity will exceed 320 terabits per second, which is equivalent to streaming 12.5 million HD movies simultaneously.
The company said it is building the cable to meet rising demand for cloud computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and edge applications that use AWS. It added that the route will strengthen network resilience, reducing service disruption risks for AWS customers.
Fastnet will be the company’s first wholly owned subsea cable project. It will create alternative data pathways between Maryland in the US and County Cork in Ireland, delivering cloud and AI services across the Atlantic.
“Amazon’s new Fastnet transatlantic subsea cable represents a vote of confidence in Ireland’s digital future, helping to enable the next wave of innovation in cloud computing and AI,” said Taoiseach Micheál Martin. “By linking County Cork to Maryland in the US, Ireland will become a true gateway to Europe for submarine telecommunications cables. This investment will enhance our global connectivity, reinforce the resilience of critical digital infrastructure, and strengthen our economic competitiveness.”
At IBC2025, Stephanie Lone, Global Leader of the Solutions Architecture, Media, Entertainment, Games and Sports Industry Business Unit at AWS, said: “A third of our [45] demos are agentic AI-driven”. Discover more here.
Macquarie to sell Arqiva stake for £16.5m
Macquarie Asset Management has agreed to the sale of its 26.5% stake in broadcast infrastructure firm Arqiva for £16.5m.
Banijay UK beefs up in-house post operations
Banijay UK will increase its in-house post-production capabilities by launching new facilities in London, doubling capacity in Glasgow, and investing in Manchester.
Spain’s LaLiga agrees €5.25bn football rights with Telefónica and DAZN
Spanish football league LaLiga has agreed a new set of domestic media contracts for more than €5.25bn, with Telefónica and DAZN retaining rights from 2027 to 2032.
BBC remains popular but “must take a firmer grip” in crises, says Ofcom
Despite funding pressures and a rapidly changing media landscape, the BBC remains popular with audiences, with 83% of UK adults using its services weekly, according to media regulator Ofcom.
TikTok and YouTube trigger influencer boom among older audiences
Older internet users are fuelling the growth of influencer videos, according to new research from Ampere Analysis, which shows that half of 55- to 64-year-olds now watch influencer content every week.
