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Colt Technology Services is partnering with satellite communications specialist neXat and satellite operator Telesat in a European Space Agency (ESA)-backed initiative to develop a new approach to network resilience, extending intelligent service orchestration across terrestrial, subsea and satellite infrastructure.
The project, known as CableShield, is funded through the European Space Agency's Advanced Research in Telecommunications Systems (ARTES) programme and aims to create an automated system capable of detecting major disruptions to submarine cable infrastructure and dynamically rerouting priority traffic over satellite connectivity when required. The consortium has secured €1.5 million in funding to design, develop and validate the solution.
For Colt, CableShield represents an important step in the evolution of Network as a Service. As enterprise networks become increasingly distributed across cloud environments, regions and connectivity domains, resilience can no longer rely on static backup arrangements alone. Instead, future networks will need the ability to continuously assess conditions, select the most appropriate path and adapt automatically to changing circumstances.
The project will explore how programmable terrestrial, subsea and low Earth orbit satellite networks can work together as a single, orchestrated service fabric. By combining automated traffic management with real-time path selection, CableShield aims to maintain business-critical connectivity during major network disruptions while reducing operational complexity for customers.
Submarine cables remain the foundation of global digital communications, carrying the vast majority of international data traffic that supports enterprises, governments, financial institutions and cloud providers worldwide. While these networks are highly reliable, the growing strategic importance of digital infrastructure has heightened industry focus on resilience, security and operational continuity.
As part of the programme, Colt will contribute expertisefrom one of the world's largest digital infrastructure platforms, helping shapeservice requirements, define operational use cases and validate the technologythrough lab and field testing. Drawing on relationships with customers acrosssectors including banking, manufacturing, public sector and technology, Coltwill help ensure the solution addresses real-world resilience challenges facingmodern enterprises.
The initiative also aligns with Colt's broader investment in software-defined networking, automation and intent-driven service orchestration. By extending these capabilities beyond terrestrial networks and into satellite-enabled environments, the project will explore how enterprises can benefit from greater agility, resilience and operational simplicity without needing to manage the underlying technology complexity themselves.
The 18-month programme will develop and demonstrate the technology before assessing its wider commercial potential, supporting industry efforts to strengthen the resilience of critical communications infrastructure and helping shape the next generation of autonomous, interconnected networks.
Learn how Colt is building the autonomous, resilient networks enterprises need for an increasingly connected world and reach out today.
