Ciena to refresh Space Norway's Arctic subsea links
Space Norway has selected Ciena to update the optical equipment on its Svalbard Undersea Cable System and the planned Arctic Way system. The work is intended to extend the service life of the existing cable and support more resilient, higher-capacity connectivity in the Arctic. Space Norway, a state-owned satellite and infrastructure operator, also plans for Arctic Way to link Bodø with Longyearbyen and include a spur to Jan Mayen.
Space Norway, owned by the Norwegian state, runs satellites, teleports, fibre and subsea cables, serving research, scientific and national-security users. Its Svalbard Undersea Cable System entered service in 2004 and runs about 2,714 km from Breivika to Longyearbyen. Ciena’s upgrade includes the 6500 platform, WaveLogic 6 Extreme, Spectrum Sharing and Navigator control suite.
The planned Arctic Way system, announced in 2025, would connect Bodø with Longyearbyen and add a branch to Jan Mayen. Svalbard currently has one other submarine route, Longyearbyen–Ny-Ålesund, run by Sikt. SvalSat’s Arctic monitoring depends on reliable backhaul.
Upgraded Arctic cables may improve reliability and capacity for researchers, satellite operators, scientific bodies, and national-security users. Better connectivity could support Arctic monitoring, remote operations, and secure communications. Benefits may depend on costs, maintenance, and continued investment. The work could also strengthen Norway’s strategic communications in a region where dependable backhaul is important.