The Azores Fiber Optic System (AFOS) submarine cable is a high-speed telecommunication cable that transmits data across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to North America. It was installed in 2018 and is owned by multiple companies, including Vodafone, Cabo Verde Telecom, and NOS.
The cable runs approximately 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) from Sines, Portugal, to Praia da Vitória, Azores, and then continues another 3,900 kilometers (2,423 miles) to New Jersey in the United States. This makes it one of the longest submarine cables in the world.
The AFOS cable has a capacity of up to 100 terabits per second (Tbps) and is designed to provide high-speed connectivity and redundancy to the Azores, a group of nine volcanic islands that are part of Portugal. It also provides a direct connection between Europe and North America, bypassing congested areas such as the Mediterranean and the Caribbean.
The AFOS cable is built using the latest technology, including advanced submarine fiber-optic cables that are designed to withstand the harsh underwater environment. It is also equipped with advanced repeaters, which boost the signal and ensure that the data arrives at its destination quickly and reliably.
Overall, the Azores Fiber Optic System (AFOS) submarine cable is an important piece of infrastructure that provides high-speed connectivity between Europe and North America, as well as improving connectivity to the Azores.