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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →MAREA is a 6,605-kilometre subsea fiber-optic cable linking Virginia Beach, Virginia, with Bilbao, Spain. Microsoft announced its completion on September 23, 2017, when the eight-fiber-pair system was described as capable of 160 Tbps. A later technology upgrade reported in 2018 raised the stated capacity to 200 Tbps. Those figures describe different stages of MAREA’s development, not a contradiction.
What is the MAREA cable?
MAREA is a transatlantic communications cable developed by Facebook (now Meta) and Microsoft. Telxius was named its operator and manager. The cable’s single segment runs between a landing station in Virginia Beach and one in Bilbao, providing a direct path between Northern Virginia’s data-center region and Europe.
The sponsors selected a southern Atlantic route intended to add resilience to transatlantic connectivity and to link Northern Virginia with Bilbao and onward network hubs in Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. “Resilience” here is the project’s design objective; the available project material does not establish a measured guarantee against outages.
Route and physical scale
- Regulatory length: 6,605 km for the Virginia Beach–Bilbao segment, according to the Federal Communications Commission’s 2017 record.
- Rounded description: Microsoft described the completed line as about 4,000 miles.
- Seabed depth: Microsoft said the seabed reaches more than 17,000 feet in some locations.
The 6,605-km figure is the specific segment length in the FCC filing; the 4,000-mile figure is Microsoft’s rounded public description of the same transatlantic connection.
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#1 Best Overall
- Optical digital audio cable: Perfect for equipment with a TOSLINK interface (OPT In / OPT Out or S/PDIF In / S/PDIF Out). TOSLINK connector to TOSLINK connector (F05 connector)
- Versatile: Ideal for transmitting crystal-clear digital audio from your TV, video game console (PS3/PS4/Xbox One), DVD/Blu-ray player, or TV streaming box to a soundbar, amplifier/amp, stereo/Hi-Fi system, D/A converter, and more
- High-End: This metal-free fiber optic audio cable, featuring a fully flexible PVC jacket, is entirely immune to electrical interference. Each cable undergoes multi-stage testing during manufacturing to ensure maximum product quality and durability
- 24K gold-plated connectors: Corrosion resistant gold plating keeps connectors clean. And because these cables are fiber optic, they provide 100 % signal transmission with 0 % loss
- No risk: 36 months manufacturer warranty
MAREA’s timeline
2016: announcement and planned build
On May 26, 2016, Facebook and Microsoft announced MAREA. They expected construction to begin in August 2016 and completion in October 2017. The announcement specified eight fiber pairs, an initial design estimate of 160 Tbps, Telxius operation and management, and a route from Northern Virginia to Bilbao.
2017: installation and completion
The FCC’s 2017 filing describes one 6,605-km segment with eight optical fiber pairs rated at 20 Tbps per pair. Microsoft announced completion on September 23, 2017, reporting up to 160 Tbps at that point.
Rank #2
- Please REMOVE the end protective caps before using the cable.
- IN THE BOX: 6-foot digital optical audio Toslink cable.
- CLEAR AUDIO: Multi-channel, fiber-optic digital audio output; corrosion resistant gold-plated connectors and buffer tubing for optimal signal transfer.
- DURABLE: Lightweight, flexible cable with a rugged PVC exterior and removable rubber tips that protect the cable when not plugged in; remove before using.
- CONNECTS DEVICES: Quickly connects a sound bar, CD player, Blu-Ray player, game console, or other device to an audio system or TV.
Microsoft said the cable was laid by the CS Dependable. It attributed the eight-pair design to redesigned repeater stations and onshore electrical supplies. That explanation is the project participant’s account, not an independent engineering audit.
2018: reported capacity increase
A Congressional Research Service report published in 2022 says the owners announced in 2018 that newly integrated technologies increased MAREA’s capacity from 160 Tbps to 200 Tbps. The 200-Tbps number is therefore a later reported capacity, not the figure Microsoft used for the 2017 completion announcement.
Rank #3
- 【Extra-Long 10ft Cable for Flexible Setup】iVANKY 10ft optical audio cable provides just the right length to connect your devices comfortably - no more struggling with cables that are too short. Enjoy the same pristine, lossless audio quality while having the freedom to arrange your home theater, gaming system, or audio components exactly how you want
- 【Ultra-Clear Audio Quality with Japan Toray Original Fiber Core】iVANKY optical audio cable uses Japan Toray Original Fiber Core to deliver zero-distortion, lossless audio. This toslink cable is compatible with uncompressed PCM audio and compressed 5.1 to 7.1 surround sound systems, including Dolby Digital Plus, DTS-HD High Resolution, and LPCM. This digital optical audio cable ensures a wide dynamic range for an immersive listening experience
- 【Universal Device Compatibility】This optical cable for soundbar and home theaters connects seamlessly to a wide range of devices with standard Toslink (s/PDIF, Optical) ports, such as TVs, Soundbar, Speaker, Receiver, PS4, Xbox, Blu-Ray players, and more. It’s perfect for anyone looking to enhance their audio setup with a fiber optic cable that works flawlessly across multiple devices
- 【24K Gold-plated Connectors & Superior Durability】 Unlike conventional PVC jackets, iVANKY optical cable features a high-quality nylon braided jacket that withstands over 16,000 bends, making it highly durable and resistant to breakage. The aluminum shell and 24K gold-plated connectors prevent tarnishing and maintain conductivity over time, ensuring long-lasting performance
- 【Precision Design】The precisely designed cuboid connectors of this digital optical audio cable make installation easy and secure. The flexible and lightweight nylon material ensures hassle-free handling. Additionally, removable rubber caps protect the connectors from dust and oxidation when not in use. CL3-rated, this cable is also designed for in-wall installation, providing flexibility for your setup
How much data can MAREA carry?
| Development point | Capacity description | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Original design and 2017 completion | 160 Tbps total | Eight pairs at 20 Tbps per pair in the 2017 FCC filing; Microsoft reported up to 160 Tbps at completion. |
| Later reported capability | Up to 200 Tbps | CRS reported a 2018 owner announcement attributing the increase to integrated new technology. |
These are system design or carrying-capacity figures. They are not the internet speed delivered to an individual household, phone or business. The sources do not establish an end-user speed attributable to MAREA.
What “open design” means
MAREA was announced as an open system intended to interoperate with network equipment from different manufacturers. The design also aimed to make future upgrades easier as optical technology improved, rather than tying the cable permanently to one supplier’s equipment. Open equipment does not mean that anyone can plug into the cable; MAREA remains specialist wholesale infrastructure with controlled landing stations and network interfaces.
Rank #4
- Optical digital audio cable: Perfect for equipment with a TOSLINK interface (OPT In / OPT Out or S/PDIF In / S/PDIF Out). TOSLINK connector to TOSLINK connector (F05 connector)
- Versatile: Ideal for transmitting crystal-clear digital audio from your TV, video game console (PS3/PS4/Xbox One), DVD/Blu-ray player, or TV streaming box to a soundbar, amplifier/amp, stereo/Hi-Fi system, D/A converter, and more
- High-End: This metal-free fiber optic audio cable, featuring a fully flexible PVC jacket, is entirely immune to electrical interference. Each cable undergoes multi-stage testing during manufacturing to ensure maximum product quality and durability
- 24K gold-plated connectors: Corrosion resistant gold plating keeps connectors clean. And because these cables are fiber optic, they provide 100 % signal transmission with 0 % loss
- No risk: 36 months manufacturer warranty
Who uses MAREA?
Telxius was identified as the operator and manager, and the project announcement said Telxius sells capacity as wholesale infrastructure. The cable is consequently part of carrier, cloud and data-center connectivity rather than a retail broadband product that consumers order directly.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was MAREA operating?
The Congressional Research Service described MAREA as operating between Virginia Beach and Bilbao when it discussed the later 200-Tbps figure. That establishes operation in the context of the CRS report, but the available evidence does not provide a live Telxius status page or a 2026 operational confirmation. It is more precise to say CRS described the system as operating than to claim continuous availability today.
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- 【Rugged Outdoor-Grade TPU Jacket】This armored fiber optic cable features a thick industrial TPU jacket with excellent tensile strength, UV resistance, abrasion protection, and waterproof performance. Built for long-term reliability in harsh environments like snowfields, deserts, mountain ridges, tunnels, coastal zones, rooftops, factories, roadside trenches, and construction sites. Supports direct burial, conduit routing, or overhead use. Available in 5m to 300m lengths for residential and commercial deployments.
- 【Dual Armored Construction for Protection】Built with a stainless steel spiral armor tube and inner fiberglass yarns, this outdoor fiber cable provides double-layer mechanical protection against crushing, rodent chewing, sharp bending, and pulling stress. With an outer diameter of 5.0mm, it offers significantly more resistance to physical damage than standard 3.0mm fiber cables, making it ideal for direct burial, industrial campuses, outdoor conduits, and environments with heavy foot or vehicle traffic. Engineered for long-term durability in harsh conditions.
- 【Pre-Installed Pulling Eye for Easy Deployment】The cable comes pre-terminated with a swivel pulling eye kit on one end, allowing for efficient and safe pulling through conduits, ducts, bridge trays, risers, telecom manholes, and underground raceways. It eliminates the risk of fiber damage during long-distance installations. The pulling eye cover is removable and reusable, making it ideal for multi-phase construction, structured cabling, building backbone links, outdoor trench routing, industrial campuses, and FTTH deployments across large properties.
- 【OM3/OM4 High-Speed Transmission up to 100Gbps】This armored fiber optic cable uses 50/125μm multimode fiber to support high-speed Ethernet connectivity. At 850nm wavelength, OM3 supports 10Gbps up to 300m, 40Gbps up to 100m, and 100Gbps up to 70m; OM4 extends these distances to 400m, 150m, and 100m respectively. Ideal for data center backbones, enterprise LANs, telecom rooms, FTTH deployments, server farms, campus networks, SAN/NAS storage interconnects, broadcast studios, control systems, surveillance backhauls, and other high-density, high-bandwidth fiber optic infrastructure.
- 【Space-Saving Uniboot & Broad Device Compatibility】LC uniboot connectors reduce cable clutter and enable quick polarity reversal—ideal for dense patching environments. This cable supports 1G/10G/25G/40G/100G SFP/SFP+/XFP/QSFP+ modules, and integrates smoothly with Ethernet switches, routers, firewalls, ONU/OLT terminals, media converters, patch panels, NICs, NVR systems, fiber mux/demux units, and industrial control equipment. Compatible with Cisco, Ubiquiti, Mikrotik, Juniper, HPE, Arista, TP-Link, Netgear, Intel, Fortinet, Zyxel, Mellanox, Supermicro, Huawei, ZTE, Brocade, D-Link, and others.
Why the 160-Tbps and 200-Tbps figures both appear
- 160 Tbps is the original eight-pair design capacity and Microsoft’s completion-era figure in September 2017.
- 200 Tbps is the later capacity reported after technology was integrated, based on an owner announcement described by CRS.
- The change reflects an upgrade to the system’s optical technology, not a different cable route or a correction to the 2017 length.
What MAREA changed for transatlantic networks
By connecting Virginia Beach directly with Bilbao on a southern Atlantic path, MAREA added privately financed capacity between a major North American data hub and Europe. Its eight-pair architecture and stated equipment interoperability were designed to support high aggregate throughput and later upgrades. The project’s resilience claim should be understood as a route-planning goal, not proof that the cable is immune to faults or that it replaces every other transatlantic path.
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