630-kilometer system connecting Scarborough, UK and Esbjerg, DK to be ready-for-service in Q4 2028.
Altibox Carrier today announced Verena, a new 630-kilometer subsea cable system designed to dramatically increase capacity and resilience between the UK and Denmark, responding to rapidly growing Nordic data traffic and rising international demand for secure, high-quality routes across the North Sea. The system—scheduled to be ready-for-service in the fourth quarter of 2028—will create a vital new digital bridge across the North Sea at a time of unprecedented regional demand.
With Verena, Altibox Carrier confirms its role as a leading Nordic infrastructure developer—able to execute complex, capital-intensive projects and deliver new routes in a competitive global market. Verena will directly address a growing capacity shortage in the North Sea while delivering much- needed route diversity for hyperscalers, carriers, and digital infrastructure operators.
“Altibox’s ambition is to become the leading provider of network infrastructure and managed services in the Nordics. The announcement of Verena is a major step toward that goal,” says Svein Arild Ims, CEO of Altibox Carrier. “Traffic in and out of the Nordic region is projected to surge in the coming years. The number of existing and planned data centers has grown exponentially, and the AI-driven expansion of hyperscalers is pushing today’s subsea cables to their limits.”
Verena will comprise 16 fiber pairs and is named in honor of Verena Holmes, the pioneering English engineer credited with advancing early mechanical and electrical engineering in the UK. The route will run from just south of Scarborough on England’s east coast to a landing station near Esbjerg, Denmark.
“The cable will be built using the highest standards and the best technologies available,” says Espen Vestli, COO of Altibox Carrier. “Verena is being engineered to meet the stringent requirements of the world’s most quality-conscious customers.”
The realization of Verena has been made possible through a strategic acquisition: Altibox Carrier—backed by owners HitecVision and Lyse—is acquiring 100% of Woodstock Cable Ltd, a UK-based digital infrastructure company that played a key role in the project’s initial development. Altibox Carrier has appointed JTD Associates, with partners Pelagian (an OEG Company) and Cecon Contracting, to manage the overall program. The wet plant will be supplied by Xtera.
Altibox Carrier provides international connectivity and high-speed data services across the Nordics and Europe. The company operates the NO-UK subsea cable between Norway and the UK and the Skagen Fiber West cable between Norway and Denmark, supported by an extensive terrestrial network. Co- owned by Lyse and HitecVision, Altibox Carrier connects major hubs across Northern Europe—including Hamburg, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Brussels, London, and Dublin—along with high-
speed connectivity to the Americas via the Havfrue (AEC-2) trans-Atlantic cable. The network also includes one of the largest metro fiber systems in Oslo, providing robust and scalable infrastructure for global carriers, cloud providers, and enterprises.
Media Contact
Espen Vestli
Chief Operating Officer, Altibox Carrier
Email: espen.vestli@altibox.no
Phone: +47 455 06 996
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