AWS Fastnet Signals a New Era for Transatlantic Resilience

AWS plans its first fully owned US–Ireland subsea cable, Fastnet, as route diversity and network resilience rise to the top of global priorities

19 Jan 2026

Amazon Web Services has unveiled plans to build Fastnet, a new transatlantic subsea cable linking the US state of Maryland with County Cork in Ireland, as cloud providers take greater control of the infrastructure underpinning global data flows.

The cable, expected to be operational by 2028, will have a design capacity of more than 320 terabits per second, according to an AWS statement. The company said the system was intended to support rising demand from cloud computing, video streaming, financial services and artificial intelligence workloads.

Fastnet will be AWS’s first wholly owned transatlantic subsea cable, marking a shift from the consortium-based ownership models that have traditionally dominated the sector. Large technology groups have increasingly invested directly in subsea cables to secure capacity, improve reliability and reduce dependence on shared infrastructure.

Subsea cables carry the vast majority of international data traffic, but concerns about congestion and physical damage have grown as usage has increased. AWS said Fastnet would provide additional route diversity across the Atlantic, allowing traffic to be rerouted if other systems are disrupted by faults or maintenance.

The US landing site in Maryland represents a new entry point for transatlantic cables in that area, expanding the country’s network of Atlantic connections. On the European side, the cable reinforces Ireland’s role as a hub for data centres and cloud services serving multinational companies operating across the region.

Industry analysts note that the sections of cable closest to shore are often the most exposed, with risks ranging from ship anchors to fishing activity. Reports on Fastnet indicate that additional protection will be built into these areas, reflecting a broader focus on resilience rather than headline speed alone.

Investment in subsea infrastructure has accelerated as global data traffic continues to rise. With AI-driven computing expected to place further strain on international networks, projects such as Fastnet underline how cloud providers are reshaping the ownership and design of the digital backbone.