Skagenfiber Submarine Cable Now in Service

By BODØPOSTEN.NO
November 5, 2020

A new 173-kilometre fibre cable between Hirtshals and Larvik is now in operation. The opening of the fibre cable “Skagenfiber” was celebrated on Wednesday morning with a digital commemoration attended by, among others, The Minister of District and Digitalisation Linda Hofstad Helleland.

In a post, she pointed to the importance of establishing independent pathways for data traffic out of Norway.

“This is a day of joy. It is gratifying to see that Norway is increasingly equipped with fibre connections both in and out of the country. Until quite recently, Norway was more like a dead end to rain on the international fiber cable map, District and Digitalization Minister Linda Hofstad Helleland said during the digital celebration.

Digital networks have become critical infrastructure in society, in the same way as electricity and water. The coronavirus pandemic has helped make it even clearer how dependent we are on good internet access both to be able to do our jobs and to interact with other people.

In the past, most of the international data traffic has gone through Sweden and down to key European data links. This is unfortunate because of both distance and response time but also because of the digital vulnerability.

“It is important that more good connections are established between Norway and other countries so that data traffic can flow alternative roads if one or more connections are breached either due to physical breaches as a result of accidents, or deliberate attacks,” says T.P.O. Vice President Toril Nag of Lyse, the industrial group that owns Altibox.

Skagenfiber forms an important part of a European fibre network Altibox is establishing. The new connection will not only provide lightning-fast data connection to the European markets. At the same time, opportunities for strong growth in the computer industry are opening up as international data center players rely on security of supply to ensure mission-critical services.