Exa Infrastructure Finalizes Acquisition of Subsea Cable Operator Aqua Comms

Exa Infrastructure Finalizes Acquisition of Subsea Cable Operator Aqua Comms January 9, 2026 In a strategic move to bolster its transatlantic and European network capabilities, digital infrastructure provider Exa Infrastructure has completed its acquisition of Ireland-based subsea cable operator Aqua Comms. The deal, finalized on December 31, 2025, underscores the intensifying competition and consolidation within the global connectivity sector as demand for high-capacity, resilient data routes continues to surge. The acquisition sees Exa, which is backed by global infrastructure investment manager I Squared Capital, take ownership of Aqua Comms from UK fund Digital 9 Infrastructure (D9). D9, which is currently winding down its operations, had acquired Aqua Comms in 2021. While Exa did not disclose the financial terms, D9 previously noted the net proceeds from the sale amounted to $48 million. The integration of Aqua Comms significantly expands Exa’s footprint. The combined entity now operates a network spanning more than 160,000 kilometers across 37 countries. This includes seven Transatlantic routes and 22 cable landing stations across North America and Europe. Aqua Comms brings ownership of key submarine cable systems to the table, including America Europe Connect-1 (AEC-1), AEC-2, CeltixConnect-1, and CeltixConnect-2, and holds a stake in the Amitié cable system (AEC-3). In a statement, Exa CEO Jim Fagan emphasized the strategic rationale behind the deal: “With the acquisition now complete, EXA Infrastructure has significantly enhanced our Transatlantic and European connectivity offerings. Customers will benefit from unrivalled route diversity [and] enhanced resiliency across a unified, meshed subsea and terrestrial network.” The company stated the move provides greater route diversity and more critical links between the United States, Ireland, and mainland Europe. For the industry, this consolidation reflects a broader trend where large-scale infrastructure players are vertically integrating subsea assets to create end-to-end, diversified networks. This is increasingly critical for cloud providers, carriers, and enterprises that require low-latency, high-availability connections to support data-intensive applications and global digital services. The deal positions Exa as a more formidable competitor in the transatlantic corridor, potentially influencing pricing and service offerings in a key global connectivity market. Source: datacenterdynamics