Pioneer Consulting oversees successful completion of marine route survey for first fiber optic cable crossing the English Channel in 20 years

Company’s ongoing project supervision is part of a broader scope of responsibilities on behalf of Crosslake Fibre for their historic CrossChannel Fibre project


BOSTON and LONDON, Nov. 17, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pioneer Consulting, the full-service submarine fiber optic telecommunications consulting and project management company, announces successful completion of owner’s representation on the CrossChannel Fibre project marine route survey on behalf of project developer Crosslake Fibre. The survey, conducted by EGS, is a major construction milestone for the first fiber optic submarine cable to be built across the English Channel in nearly 20 years.

Pioneer Consulting is providing system integration services for the disaggregated CrossChannel Fibre project, supporting the on-time overall delivery of the subsea portion of the project. This work follows Pioneer’s authorship of the Request for Proposals (RFP) and oversight of the bidding process. Pioneer Consulting used its deep technical and commercial experience to develop a detailed technical specification of all aspects of the survey, then assessed a multitude of qualified respondents before choosing EGS as the preferred supplier.

The marine route survey included geotechnical, geophysical, and unexploded ordnance surveys that sought a route optimized for cable protection, avoidance of obstructions, and in respect of the needs of the national and local governments of both the United Kingdom and France. Designed to optimize the route for resilience, the system will provide users with enhanced bandwidth capacity at lower operating costs.

The survey required more than a dozen pieces of specialized equipment to accurately portray the ocean floor. Terabytes of data are now being reviewed to inform the final route for cable installation.

“This is a pivotal moment for such a groundbreaking project,” said Iain Ritson, Pioneer Consulting’s Director of Client Solutions and Project Director for CrossChannel. “These unique times have made it clearer than ever how essential it is to have fast, secure, reliable telecommunications bandwidth for our society to thrive and stay connected. We are honored to be working again with Crosslake Fibre to forge a new path across the English Channel that will provide significantly enhanced capacity during this critical time.”

“There is a tremendous need across the globe for new, creative solutions to telecommunications challenges. The CrossChannel Fibre project will provide critical infrastructure relied upon by millions of people and businesses at a time when it is most needed. Our size and experience allow us to utilize industry-leading suppliers at every level of the project. Our contractors often operate as an extension of our own team, and Pioneer Consulting’s project management services have been instrumental as we execute this mission-critical project,” stated Mike Cunningham, CEO of Crosslake Fibre.

The submarine fiber optic cable will connect the London suburb of Slough, UK and Paris, France. It is designed to support the increase in bandwidth requirements from telecommunications and other enterprises, content providers, financial, gaming, and media companies that require high-capacity, low-latency connectivity. The high-fiber-count, non-repeatered system will contain 96 fiber pairs, each providing over 20 terabits per second of throughput capacity.

About Pioneer Consulting
Pioneer Consulting offers a comprehensive set of services for the submarine fiber optic telecommunications system industry. The company provides clients with valuable technical and commercial insight into the challenging issues facing this unique industry. Recognizing the diverse nature of the submarine telecommunications marketplace, Pioneer Consulting has built a team of industry-leading experts who are able to work across traditional boundaries and provide businesses with the strategic intelligence and operational skills needed to make long-term business decisions and deliver results.

About Crosslake Fibre
Crosslake Fibre was established to develop, own, and operate fiber-optic projects throughout North America and Western Europe. Using new methods of construction to develop next-generation networks, Crosslake Fibre has built new Internet infrastructure that provides material advantages to customers.

Media Contact
Eugene Hunt
Trevi Communications for Pioneer Consulting
gene@trevicomm.com 
+1-978-750-0333