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Panel 2: Fibre, Routes & the Fragility of Global Connectivity#

Capacity Europe 2026 digest Program Core pick 12–15 October 2026

Abstract

Marc Halbfinger (Red HMH), Steve Roberts (EXA Infrastructure), Andy Palmer-Felgate (Submarine Cable Engineer, Meta), Paul Gabla (Alcatel Submarine Networks)

  • Why: Route diversity has become a first-class design constraint in WAN/DC interconnect, and this panel includes both a hyperscaler's cable engineer (Meta) and a subsea vendor — the closest this program gets to people who actually design cable systems.
  • What: How the industry builds resilient fibre and subsea networks — route diversity as a strategic imperative driven by AI adoption, cloud growth, and digital sovereignty (from abstract only).
  • How: Discussion-level: route-diversification practice, "resilience by design" principles, and how sovereignty moves change route economics.
  • Where applicable: Subsea and long-haul route planning globally with a European lens. Meta's presence suggests a hyperscaler buyer's perspective on route diversity, which is the most transferable content for DC/WAN interconnect planning.