PISCES: A Subsea Cable System Connecting Portugal, Ireland, France and Spain
•February 11, 2026
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Why It Matters
By providing fresh, high‑capacity links between Ireland and mainland Europe, Pisces underpins data‑center growth and AI initiatives, giving European firms a competitive edge in the global digital economy.
Key Takeaways
- •Pisces links Ireland directly to Portugal, France, Spain.
- •Open‑access, multi‑fiber design supports hyperscalers, carriers, academia and research institutions.
- •Active branching units enable six distinct connectivity routes across four nations.
- •3000‑km cable provides intra‑European bandwidth for data‑center growth.
- •New infrastructure replaces aging systems, bolstering Europe's AI ecosystem.
Summary
The Pisces subsea cable system is a new 3,000‑kilometre, 16‑pair fiber network that directly connects Ireland’s west coast with Portugal, and via branching units, with Spain and France.
Designed as an open‑access, multi‑user platform, the system offers six distinct routes—Ireland‑Portugal, Ireland‑Spain, Ireland‑France, Spain‑France, Portugal‑France, and Portugal‑Spain—allowing hyperscalers, carriers and research institutions to tap the bandwidth.
Project leaders stress that Europe’s existing submarine infrastructure is aging, and Pisces fills the gap by delivering modern capacity essential for data‑center expansion, AI development and the broader high‑tech sector.
The cable bolsters trans‑European connectivity, reduces reliance on legacy routes, and positions the region to capture growth in cloud services and digital economies, reinforcing Europe’s technological sovereignty.
Original Description
This video presents the PISCES Cable System, a project co-funded under the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital programme to prepare the ground for a strategic subsea connectivity link between Ireland and mainland Europe. The project supports the development of a planned 2,800 km cable running from the west coast of Ireland to Portugal, with branching connectivity to France and Spain, addressing the current lack of direct connectivity routes and strengthening resilience along Europe’s western Atlantic seaboard.
This video is part of the European Broadband Competence Offices Network’s programme promoting awareness of good practices in broadband projects and EU digital connectivity initiatives.
Find out more about this project:
Find out more on the BCO Network:
See more videos in the series:
About CEF Digital:
Connecting Europe Facility (general):
Digital Decade 2030 Policy Programme:
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