An Irish-owned European data network operator has completed the rollout of a next-generation network (NGN) that promises to deliver long-haul, last-mile door-to-door networks to Europe’s largest cities and economies. The network cost €2bn to construct.
The pan-European data centre and telecoms services firm euNetworks is owned by Irishman Noel Meaney and in February reported total revenues of €24m for the past year with profits of €7m.
Meaney established his euNetworks business originally as Global Voice after acquiring the former assets of Metromedia after leading a management buyout.
Prior to the buyout, Metromedia had spent €650m deploying data centres and fibre infrastructure across various European cities including Dublin. Before its parent firm fell into financial difficulties, Metromedia was close to completing a US$110m investment in Ireland, consisting of a US$75m data centre and a US$45m fibre ring that stretched for 100km around Dublin City.
Meaney’s Global Voice listed on the Singapore stock exchange in October 2004 through a reverse takeover of Horizon Education and Technologies. The company now has fibre networks across 14 European cities, which provide access to key locations within a city including business and industrial parks, educational centres, financial centres, government buildings and internet exchanges.
Last June Meaney acquired the assets of major European intercity fibre optic network across Europe owned by Viatel Networks in a cash deal valued at €25m. The network was originally built at a cost of €2bn.
The new NGN currently connects over 100 data centres and exchanges across Europe and will also connect its customers’ European networks on a door-to-door basis on a single service level agreement.
The company says it has already won significant networking deals for the new NGN. One deal sees a business with multiple metro connections in Frankfurt, Dublin, Amsterdam and Paris via private fibre networks, all connected over a 10GB Ethernet network linking the cities.
The network, entitled Euro/Nex, connects Germany, the Netherlands, the UK, France and Belgium and connects via mesh networks to fibre networks in Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Stuttgart, Hanover, Hamburg, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Paris, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, London and Dublin.
Each city fibre network connects with businesses, industrial parks, financial centres, government hubs and internet exchanges.
“The launch of Euro/Nex completes our network rollout in Europe by connecting our key metropolitan fibre networks with a true NGN,” commented Meaney.
“Through Euro/Nex, euNetworks is uniquely to offer our corporate, carrier and service-provider clients secure and highly efficient door-to-door connectivity in Europe,” Meaney added.
By John Kennedy
