French telco Orange has joined a consortium to deploy a new subsea cable linking Ireland to mainland Europe.

Orange, infrastructure investor Equitix, and Irish subsea cable firm MDM announced this week the formation of a joint venture to deliver the Pisces project, a new subsea cable that will establish a direct digital connection between Ireland and continental Europe.

Pisces was first announced by MDM back in May 2024. The 3,125km (1,942 miles) system will connect Galway in Ireland to Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez in France, Sopelana in Spain, and Carcavelos in Portugal.

The cable is expected to be deployed during 2028. It will total 16 fiber pairs.

Orange is set to develop a new cable landing station in Sopelana to host the upcoming system.

“As Europe accelerates its AI ambitions, subsea infrastructure along the Atlantic coast becomes more critical than ever,” said Valérie Cussac, CEO, Orange Wholesale International.

“At Orange, we are convinced that building trusted, high-capacity routes in partnership with like-minded stakeholders is the backbone of Europe’s AI-driven future. Pisces reflects this commitment, connecting Ireland, France, Spain and Portugal to reinforce trust across the continent while powering the AI highways that will support sustainable, inclusive growth for generations to come.”

Former Orange exec Carine Romanetti has been appointed CEO of the Pisces Cable System Limited Joint Venture. She said: “With the support of our shareholders and co-funding from the European Union, Pisces represents a unique opportunity to strengthen Europe’s digital connectivity and resilience through critical subsea infrastructure. My priority will be to build on the strong foundations already established, secure the next key milestones and lead the project into its delivery phase.”

Equitix, an infrastructure investor founded in 2007 with some $12 billion in assets under management, is making its investment through Equitix Infra Ireland, the firm’s dedicated Irish greenfield infrastructure fund, which is backed by anchor investor the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund (ISIF).

“Delivering the connectivity Europe needs will require sustained investment in critical digital infrastructure. Pisces is a strong example of what can be achieved by working in partnership across Europe to turn that ambition into reality, strengthening resilience and supporting the continent’s future growth and success,” said Achal Bhuwania, chief investment officer at Equitix.

The companies said the project benefits from “significant funding support” through the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF).

Founded in 1990 by Jim and Tom McMahon, MDM is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. It develops, builds, and operates subsea cable systems and began as an Irish civil engineering consultancy that has now developed a global footprint. MDM has delivered more than 20 subsea cable systems across a network spanning more than 40,000 km (24,854 miles), connecting to more than 50 coastal communities.

“Pisces reflects years of hard work and close collaboration with Orange and Equitix, underpinned by a shared commitment to engineering excellence. With the support of the European Union, we are proud to see that collective effort bring the project to this important milestone. We look forward to delivering a cable system that will strengthen Ireland’s connections with continental Europe for decades to come,” said Tom McMahon, managing director, MDM.

Galway is currently home to the IRIS cable, connecting to Iceland. Well connected to the UK and US, no subsea cables currently connect Ireland to mainland Europe.

Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez is the landing point for Google’s Dunant cable system.

Carcavelos is one of Portugal’s main landing points, hosting the 2Africa, ACE, and Medusa systems, among others, and several upcoming systems.