Magdalene has signed a contract with Eurotunnel Group to design, model, pilot and supply a replacement telecommunication solution for the Channel Tunnel connecting England and France. Magdalene will also be providing implementation assistance, training and long-term support services to Eurotunnel for the transition to and maintenance of the new telecommunications infrastructure.

The project scope provides the replacement of existing PDH transmission system equipment with a Keymile multi-service UMUX solution and associated management system. The initial stage will be to design the replacement solution, followed by a modelling and pilot phase with subsequent deployment of around 60 multiplexer nodes. The networks at the landside terminals in Folkestone (UK) and Coquelles (France) will be updated with infrastructure offering SDH capability and a migration path to packet-based services for the potential of more extensive deployment and utilisation.

The Channel Tunnel, opened in 1994, is the longest undersea tunnel in the world. The section under the sea is 38km long. The three tunnels (two single-direction single-rail and a service tunnel), each 50km long, were bored at an average 40m below the sea bed, and link Folkestone in Kent to Coquelles in Pas-de-Calais.