The new financing platform replaces Eurofiber’s existing €1.5 billion financing and comprises significant undrawn committed debt facilities. The transaction was strongly supported by a broad group of banks and institutional investors.

The refinancing provides Eurofiber with a diversified funding structure with investment-grade characteristics and access to multiple sources of liquidity, including, over time, the capital markets.

The transaction is structured as a Sustainability-Linked Loan aligned with the latest LMA Sustainability-Linked Loan Principles. It includes annual ESG targets and a margin adjustment mechanism linked to three key performance indicators: reducing Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions in line with the Science Based Targets initiative methodology, introducing a circularity KPI and increasing gender diversity across the workforce.

The refinancing underlines Eurofiber’s strong position as a trusted provider of open digital infrastructure across Europe. As demand for secure, resilient and scalable connectivity continues to grow, the new financing platform gives Eurofiber additional flexibility to invest in its fiber networks, expand its cloud infrastructure services and continue delivering customer-driven innovation in its core markets.

“This refinancing confirms the strength of Eurofiber’s business model and the confidence of our financing partners in our long-term strategy. The new platform provides a diversified and scalable capital structure that supports our investment plans, enhances our financial flexibility and positions us well for continued growth in Europe’s digital infrastructure market,” said Alex Goldblum, CEO of Eurofiber.

BNP Paribas and Rothschild & Co acted as financial advisors and Clifford Chance as legal advisors to Eurofiber, Antin Infrastructure Partners and PGGM Infrastructure Fund in connection with the refinancing.

Eurofiber Netz develops and operates a high-performance fiber-to-the-home infrastructure in the Berlin metropolitan area. With this transaction, the MIH Group strengthens its position in the German fiber market and expands its existing portfolio of fiber network construction and operations to include the targeted commercialization of network infrastructure.

Over the past years, Eurofiber Netz GmbH has significantly advanced the rollout of a high-performance fiber-to-the-home network in Berlin, establishing a strong regional presence with more than 150,000 homes passed. Following this successful build-out phase, the company is now entering a new stage of development, in which commercial utilization, marketing, and further economic development of the existing infrastructure will take center stage.

Against this backdrop, MIH Group has been identified as a strategic investor to support and further develop Eurofiber Netz GmbH in this next phase. MIH brings extensive experience in the development, operation, and expansion of fiber infrastructure and sees the acquisition as a logical extension of its strategic direction.

“We are proud of the progress made by the Eurofiber Netz team in building a high-performance fiber-to-the-home network in Berlin,” said Eurofiber Chief Operating Officer Eric Kuisch. “After five years of successful rollout of the network, the company is ready for its next phase of development under new ownership. This step supports Eurofiber’s strategy to focus on its core B2B digital infrastructure business across Europe, including in Germany. I would like to thank the Eurofiber Netz team and our Berlin partners for laying a strong foundation for the city’s digitization, and MIH for the constructive discussions regarding the company’s next chapter.”

For MIH Group, the acquisition represents an important milestone in building an integrated infrastructure approach that combines construction, operation, and increasingly, the commercialization of high-performance fiber networks. Eurofiber Netz GmbH is an excellent addition to MIH’s existing portfolio and opens up additional growth opportunities in one of Germany’s most important urban telecommunications markets.

Together with the Eurofiber Netz GmbH team, MIH aims to further develop the existing infrastructure under the new name mih Net Berlin GmbH, intensify the commercialization of the network, and lay the foundation for sustainable growth in Berlin.

“We are very pleased to support Eurofiber Netz GmbH as it opens a new growth chapter,” said Hajriz Brčvak, Founder and CEO of MIH Group. “The company is a perfect complement to our portfolio and a clear reflection of our expanded strategy to combine the construction and operation of fiber networks with the active commercialization of high-performance network infrastructure. We thank Eurofiber for the trust placed in us and for the very constructive discussions over the past weeks.”

Eurofiber was advised by ING and Simmons & Simmons on the transaction. MIH Group was advised by Rautenberg & Company and Watson Farley & Williams. The purchase price and further details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

About MIH Group
Headquartered in Liechtenstein and Horstmar, MIH Group is an entrepreneurial infrastructure investor and operator focused on fiber and telecommunications networks in Germany. The group develops, builds, and operates high-performance networks and aims to contribute to the digital connectivity of cities, municipalities, and businesses through long-term investments. With the acquisition of Eurofiber Netz GmbH, MIH expands its capabilities to include the commercialization of existing fiber networks.

About Eurofiber Netz GmbH
Eurofiber Netz – founded in 2021 - has set itself the goal of expanding a high‑performance fiber network in Berlin as a partner of the Berlin Gigabit Strategy. To this end, the company leverages the existing district heating network in Berlin. The new fiber network offers faster and superior connectivity compared to existing infrastructures.

About Eurofiber Group
Eurofiber has been a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure since 2000. Utilizing its fiberoptic network and datacenters, they provide smart, open, future-proof connectivity solutions and cloud infrastructure to companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations. Eurofiber owns and operates a 80,000 km fiber network in the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Germany, as well as eight regional edge datacenters in the Netherlands.

Unifiber was created in 2021 by Eurofiber and Proximus to accelerate the rollout of fiber-to-the-home infrastructure in medium-density areas in Wallonia. Since its inception, the joint venture has made substantial progress, with the rollout well on schedule and approximately 230,000 homes and businesses now passed out of more than 300,000 living units. 

From the outset, Eurofiber’s role in the joint venture was to support the development of a high-quality, open-access fiber-to-the-home network and, over time, transfer its stake. With the network rollout well advanced and Unifiber performing strongly, Eurofiber considers this a natural moment to complete that transition. 

Eurofiber will continue to offer connectivity services to its customers over the Unifiber network, ensuring continuity for business clients and partners. The open-access nature of the network remains unchanged, allowing service providers to benefit from a high-quality, neutral infrastructure. 

About Unifiber
Unifiber is an open-access fiber network operator focused on deploying fiber-to-the-home infrastructure in Wallonia. The company was established in 2021 as a joint venture between Proximus and Eurofiber.  

Building on their existing strategic partnership the two enterprises will leverage their open digital infrastructure, to create a shared quantum-secured fiber corridor that enables banks, trading platforms and market infrastructure providers to protect critical data against emerging quantum threats while maintaining low-latency, high-performance connectivity. This initiative complements the carriers’ focus on quantum-safe networking and recent investments in quantum-secure infrastructure, and marks an important step towards future-proof, pan-European secure communications for the financial sector.

From left to right Mirko Voltolini, VP Technology & Innovation at Colt Technology, Phaedra Kortekaas, Managing Director Eurofiber Netherlands, Frank Miller, Chief AI and Platforms Officer Colt Technology Services and Peter Coppens, VP Product at Colt Technology Services

Phaedra Kortekaas, Managing Director Eurofiber, said: “At Eurofiber, we strongly believe that the future of secure connectivity depends on deep, strategic collaboration. Our partnership with Colt is a clear example of how combining expertise and vision leads to the kind of future‑proof solutions the market urgently needs. Together, we are shaping a resilient, quantum‑secure infrastructure that empowers our customers to lead the way in shaping tomorrow’s digital future.”

Peter Coppens, VP - Infrastructure & Connectivity Solutions, Colt Technology Services, said: “I think that Colt and Eurofiber are united by a singular vision. The extension of our partnership is rooted in a shared belief that the future of connectivity must be both uncompromisingly secure and exceptionally high performing. Eurofiber’s open digital infrastructure and forward‑looking approach to innovation provide the ideal foundation for our joint mission to accelerate quantum‑safe networking. By combining Colt’s strengths in ultra‑low‑latency, carrier‑grade services with Eurofiber’s dense and resilient fibre network, we are paving the way for rapid adoption of Quantum Key Distribution and next‑generation quantum‑resilient security. Together, we will enable the financial sector to move confidently into the quantum era, delivering secure, resilient connectivity designed not only for today’s demands, but for the challenges of tomorrow.”

Quantum Key Distribution offers a new form of encryption security
QKD uses a data encryption key based on quantum technology that is resistant to attempted interception. QKD helps protect valuable data from possible future attacks using quantum computers, playing a vital role in securing critical infrastructure, for example in the financial area.  This technology allows scalable and cost-effective quantum encrypted fiber connections, enabling the many businesses between Brussels, Amsterdam and London to be connected via breach-proof connections.

About Colt Technology Services
We’re Colt. We own and operate exceptional digital infrastructure which powers the global AI economy, connects societies, builds communities and transforms lives. 6,000 colleagues in 80+ offices across Europe, Asia, and North America share a deep commitment to delivering an outstanding experience and making every interaction effortless for our customers.

Customers and partners choose our award-winning fibre infrastructure, digital platforms and security solutions, delivered across a network that spans continents and crosses oceans. We’re Europe’s largest B2B operator: we connect 40+ countries, 32,000 enterprise buildings, 275+ points of presence, and 12 cable landing stations and we manage eight subsea cable systems. We also co-manage AS3356 - the most widely peered network in the world. Founded in London over 30 years ago, we’re privately funded and driven by values of fairness, inclusion and equity. We’re known for our urgent call for social and sustainable change, and we're guided by our purpose in everything we do: creating effortless connections and extraordinary outcomes for our customers, communities and people.

Be a part of our story: come on over to www.colt.net  or join our amazing communities at LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Media enquiry? Email us at pressqueries@colt.net. 

5G RedCap: a logical extension to a mature ecosystem
Together with Nokia and the other strategic partners, Eurofiber is building a Private 5G ecosystem based on secure, scalable and sector-specific 5G solutions on top of Eurofiber’s fiber infrastructure. 5G RedCap fits seamlessly into this strategy. The technology is designed for large-scale IoT applications that require reliability and low latency, but not the full 5G bandwidth. It offers lower complexity than full 5G modems, reduced energy consumption, affordable modules, and support for large numbers of IoT devices such as sensors, wearables and cameras.

Growing demand in industry, logistics, healthcare and construction
In virtually all sectors, demand for scalable IoT connectivity is increasing — a trend Eurofiber sees clearly in the market. By making 5G RedCap available within the private network, a crucial missing link in modern IoT connectivity is filled. No Dutch operator has commercially rolled out 5G RedCap yet, making this private 5G ecosystem once again a frontrunner.

Secure, scalable and economically attractive
5G RedCap makes it possible to start IoT projects easily and scale them up step by step without major upfront investments. This aligns with the existing private 5G service model and creates opportunities in industry, healthcare, logistics and construction. With 5G RedCap, integrating OT equipment and IT networks also becomes easier. The technology enables real-time data collection with reliable coverage and low latency in dynamic environments. Thanks to the implementation of 5G RedCap, IoT devices can now be directly connected to Eurofiber’s secure, open fiber backbone — a major advantage compared to WiFi, BLE or LPWAN technologies.

Phaedra Kortekaas, Managing Director Eurofiber Netherlands “With the introduction of 5G RedCap within our Private 5G ecosystem, we are giving our customers a powerful new building block for their digital transformation. More and more organizations want to modernize their operations with IoT applications, while seeking maximum reliability and security. Thanks to our unique collaboration, we now make this innovation widely accessible, directly connected to our fiber backbone. With all the data captured via IoT, AI models can function even better. This is a breakthrough to capture the full potential of AI for companies working in a data-driven way.”

Prakash Sadagopan, Head of Mission Critical Enterprise, Global Sales and Customer Operations, Nokia “Reliable networks are the foundation of digital transformation for today’s enterprises. With 5G RedCap, we are advancing connectivity by enabling scalable, energy-efficient IoT deployments within Eurofiber’s Private 5G ecosystem. Together, we empower mission-critical enterprises with secure, high-performance wireless solutions that support real-time operations and future growth.”

The recently published Wennink report emphasizes that innovation ecosystems can only thrive if there is sufficient capacity in our digital networks. Without these investments, the strategic autonomy and earning power of the Netherlands will be under pressure. Every day, Eurofiber works on secure, high-capacity networks for data transport, AI, and cloud, contributing to a sovereign position so that connectivity and energy bottlenecks do not force critical IT capacity to move abroad.

Rhoderick van der Wyck, MD Eurofiber International:
“Digital infrastructure is the backbone of our economy and society. Investing in intercontinental and intra-European submarine cables is essential to future-proof the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. Together with the Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition, Eurofiber is committed to ensuring our country remains strategically autonomous and that innovation ecosystems can flourish by ensuring there is enough resilience through network diversity. Only by investing now can we prevent critical IT know-how and capacity from moving abroad and maintain our position as Europe’s digital gateway. As IOEMA’s nominated landing partner for The Hague and Eemshaven cable landings, Eurofiber enables onward connectivity and distribution to hundreds of data centers and thousands of business locations across its international fiber network. Together with the Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition and our partners, we are committed to a future-proof digital infrastructure!”

Read more about the news: The Netherlands risks losing its position as a digital hub due to a lack of investment in submarine cables, via this link

Thursday 4th December 2025 the ecosystem Quantum Progress celebration brought together the quantum technology community from academia, startups, enterprise and public sector. Philippe Bouyer, Director of Research & Technology and board Chair congratulated Marc ‘for his outstanding contributions to the Dutch quantum ecosystem, taking a leading role as a Netherlands-based industrial player in actively shaping and advancing the market for quantum communication’.

Marc Hulzebos: ‘I feel very proud being awarded for both personal and collective efforts advancing digital infrastructure innovation. It really is an honor to be part of the next generation of innovators and it made me realize how many great people we have working on transformational technology every day.’ Concluding the award ceremony, Marc was invited to share his wish for the ecosystem in the near future.  ‘As innovation thrives not in isolation but through connection, our industry benefits from a shared vision of progress. That is why I wish our community inspires confidence across various other technical and non-technical industries, though our amazing network of innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and enablers to anchor quantum technology’s real societal value’

More information at Quantum Delta news site 

Phaedra Kortekaas brings over 25 years of experience in digital transformation, B2B sales, and technology-driven innovation. From 2003 to 2023, she held several senior management positions at IBM, concluding her tenure as Country Manager for IBM Consulting in the Netherlands. Most recently, she served as Managing Director Benelux at SAS. In addition, Ms. Kortekaas serves as President of the Board of the American Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands and is a member of the Board of Directors at NLdigital. In her new role, she will lead Eurofiber’s largest business unit, driving continued growth, customer centricity and operational excellence in the Dutch market.

Andrea Kraus, Board Member and Chief Commercial Officer of the Eurofiber Group, comments: “We are thrilled to welcome Phaedra to our leadership team. She is a recognized leader in the ICT industry with extensive experience driving customer engagement and innovation. Her deep understanding of the market and digital technologies, as well as her proven ability to deliver results make her exceptionally well-suited to guide our Dutch organization into its next phase of development.”

Phaedra Kortekaas adds: "In a world where digital infrastructure is the backbone of resilience for businesses, governments, and key institutions, the demand for high-performance connectivity and compute has never been greater. I’m thrilled to join Eurofiber, the leading force in the Netherlands of B2B Fiber Connectivity, Datacenter & Cloud Infrastructure, and contribute to its ambitious agenda of empowering the digital future."

Paul Naastepad leaves after successful tenure
Paul Naastepad has decided to leave Eurofiber to take on a new role with another company, which will be announced shortly. During his seven-year tenure, Eurofiber Netherlands’ revenues nearly doubled to EUR 205 million (2024).

Paul Naastepad: “Eurofiber is the sum of a very powerful team of intrinsically motivated and dedicated experts in all area’s of B2B fiberoptic connectivity. Nothing is more satisfying than achieving results and growth with- and because of this collaborative teamwork. Also, our cooperation with B2B customers and partners has been key to enhancing quality and strengthening mutual loyalty. I am very proud of what we all together achieved.”

Eurofiber CEO Alex Goldblum says: “Paul has played a pivotal role in Eurofiber’s success story. Under his leadership, Eurofiber Netherlands established itself as the market leader in B2B networks while growing direct customer and reseller partner’s satisfaction to very high levels. Paul’s greatest achievements lie in driving the continued professionalization of the company. Today, Eurofiber stands firmly as a trusted partner for customers with the most demanding requirements in network connectivity and security. We thank him for his outstanding contribution and wish him every success in his next endeavor.”

Greenet specializes in designing, deploying, and operating Mobile Private Networks (MPN) based on 4G and 5G. With over ten years of experience, Greenet offers customized solutions for sectors such as healthcare, logistics, and construction. Greenet is known for its flexible approach, rapid deployment, and focus on reliability and security.

Eurofiber provides the high-quality fiber infrastructure that forms the foundation for secure and stable MPNs. By working closely with partners Nokia, NTT, and Greenet, organizations can easily and cost-effectively implement their own private 5G network, fully tailored to their specific needs.

The new private 5G service offers customers a combination of convenience, quality, and peace of mind. Customers gain access to a robust, secure network that is easy to implement and suitable for sector-specific applications. The service is based on fixed monthly costs, tailored to capacity, locations, and custom solutions. Thanks to direct access to specialists and a network that meets the highest standards for security and reliability, organizations can fully focus on their core activities.

Customers experience a worry-free transition to their own private 5G network, supported by Greenet’s expertise. The private 5G service enables companies to digitize quickly and securely, with the assurance of a reliable partner and a network that grows with their ambitions.

Paul Naastepad, Managing Director Eurofiber Netherlands:
“Where we will mainly serve the very large companies together with NTT, the collaboration with Greenet is aimed at large and medium-sized companies with high security requirements, such as hospitals. Our approach is a close collaboration of experts who complement and support each other on multiple levels. With the Eurofiber MPN solution, our customers get a highly coordinated, technically advanced private mobile network that perfectly matches our fiber infrastructure in terms of security. This is how we fulfill Eurofiber’s promise: where fiber ends, we continue wirelessly.”

Bart Heinink, Director Greenet, adds:
“At Greenet, we believe in simplicity, speed, and control. Together with Eurofiber, we offer organizations a future-proof and secure network solution. Our pragmatic approach and hands-on mentality ensure that customers can always rely on reliable connectivity, wherever and whenever they need it.”

Frank Weening, Director Greenet, Paul Naastepad, MD Eurofiber Nederland and Bart Heinink, Director Greenet

With the new private 5G service, Eurofiber, Nokia, NTT, and Greenet are working together on the digital transformation of companies in the Netherlands and beyond.

About Greenet
Greenet delivers reliable, scalable, and future-proof MPN solutions for sectors where security and connectivity are crucial. Whether it concerns a temporary construction site, a complex warehouse, or a healthcare institution with strict privacy requirements, our networks are always designed to perfectly fit our customers’ business processes. We offer a total solution that works. With our own SIM cards, a scalable central cloud core (hosted at Eurofiber), and integration with business applications via partners such as NTT Data, Greenet ensures everything stays connected, so our customers can focus on their primary processes.

Bright Access is a Dutch provider of business fiber connectivity, specifically targeting business parks. The company has already connected over 160 business parks throughout the Netherlands. Eurofiber is a provider of open digital infrastructure for the business market in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Eurofiber has an extensive network covering 76,000 km, including over 34,000 km in the Netherlands.

The agreement between Eurofiber and Bright Access is about Eurofiber providing backhaul for over 40 business parks. The backhaul is the part of the network that links local connections to the central network and its nodes with different Point of Presence (PoP) locations. The contract is for ten years.

Janarthanan Sundaram, Bright Access (left), Paul Naastepad, Eurofiber (right)
photography: Stephanie Bregten

This collaboration will enable NTT DATA to leverage its extensive expertise in wireless network implementation and security to deliver advanced Private Wireless Network solutions hosted on Eurofiber’s robust data center infrastructure. By adding private 5G to the Eurofiber portfolio and providing access to NTT DATA’s application ecosystem, new and existing clients can further develop their digital and mobility strategies within six months.

With Connected Workspace, Eurofiber and NTT DATA offer clients a unique managed service where, for a monthly fee, clients gain access to their own private 5G network. Businesses benefit from a low entry barrier without the need for substantial initial investments. Connected Workspace offers the inherent advantages of private 5G, such as high stability, scalability and speed, making it easy for businesses to start with private 5G and expand the service as needed.

The new Mobile Private Network service will be available in the Netherlands from September 2025.

Eurofiber Partnerships

To provide the most reliable and flexible Mobile Private Network solutions, Eurofiber collaborates with various partners. Last year, during the Mobile World Congress 2024, Eurofiber announced a partnership with Nokia for Private 5G. To bring the services to the Dutch market, Eurofiber is also working with Greenet. By optimally combining the specialized services of various partners, an efficient and high-quality MPN service is offered.

Nicole Hoebink has over 20 years of experience in senior management roles in Operations and Customer Service. She began her career at SNS Bank, where she held various management positions. From 2008 to 2013, she worked at Mandemakers Group as Manager Customer Service, Technical Service, and Sales Operations. In 2013, she entered the telecom industry as Director Customer Service and Business Partner Support at Telfort, followed by roles as Head of Customer Service at Vodafone Netherlands and later Director Installation and Maintenance Customer Operations at VodafoneZiggo. Most recently, she served as Director Operations / COO at Dutch car glass repair and replacement company Carglass, a part of Belron Group.

At Eurofiber, Nicole will report to COO Eric Kuisch and will focus on designing and implementing high-quality customer processes and further enhancing customer satisfaction.

In 2024, Eurofiber further deployed its fiberoptic network, invested in two additional datacenters and invested more than € 200 million in capital expenditures. The Group’s operational cash flows were strongly positive, allowing for reinvestment in its fiberoptic infrastructure to meet growing customer demand.

2024 Highlights

Dutch Air Traffic Control fiberoptic infrastructure
Eurofiber provides vital digital infrastructure for Air Traffic Control the Netherlands (LVNL). Eurofiber has been commissioned by Air Traffic Control the Netherlands to connect new digital infrastructure between the Dutch airports where LVNL provides air traffic control services at the airports of Schiphol, Rotterdam-The Hague, Maastricht, Eelde and Lelystad. Fiberoptic connections were laid over a total distance of 560 kilometers to connect the ten LVNL locations to the Eurofiber core network. More than 25 kilometers of this involved excavation works to lay new fiberoptic cable. This ultra-redundant network provides fully separated infrastructure that meets the highest security standards. With this new fiberoptic infrastructure, air traffic is managed and monitored at various airports from the central Traffic Control facility at Schiphol: infrastructure in the most critical sense.

Quantum Key Distribution network Port of Rotterdam
Eurofiber, as a member of a consortium, achieved a groundbreaking milestone by becoming the first in the world to establish a scalable quantum internet connection in the Port of Rotterdam. A trial setup demonstrated that the use of quantum technology prevents access to sensitive information. In the future, this new communication system could improve the security of the tens of thousands of seagoing vessels that visit the port every year and better secure the resulting economic traffic from the threat of quantum computers. The Quantum Safe Network project at the Port of Rotterdam recently received the prestigious Dutch IT Channel Award 2024.

Bytesnet acquisition
Eurofiber acquired Bytesnet, a Dutch provider of High-Performance Computing, cloud and connectivity. With datacenters in Groningen and Rotterdam Bytesnet offers colocation services to its customers in sectors including healthcare, education, and government. This acquisition strengthens Eurofiber’s position in the regional edge data center segment, supporting its long-term growth objectives for open access digital infrastructure.

Sustainability advances: SBTi approval and Platinum ranking EcoVadis
Eurofiber recently achieved another significant milestone in its ESG policies with the official validation of its Net-Zero targets by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). Eurofiber is now part of a select group of some 1,600 companies worldwide whose Net-Zero targets have received SBTi approval. This  approval reinforces Eurofiber’s commitment to meaningful climate action. Additionally, in the latest EcoVadis sustainability rating, Eurofiber Netherlands attained the highest achievable status: Platinum. This places Eurofiber in the top 1% of high-performing companies out of a total of 130,000 rated by EcoVadis worldwide. ESG initiatives contributing to this recognition include sustainable production practices by Eurofiber’s suppliers, fostering a diverse and inclusive work environment for its employees and implementing climate change mitigation strategies. These initiatives also encompass innovations that support the energy and digital transitions.

Partner organizations who facilitated SBTi’s growth and development are CDP, the United Nations Global Compact, the We Mean Business Coalition, the World Resources Institute (WRI), and the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). In its role as a corporate climate action organization, the SBTi helps companies worldwide set science-based emissions reduction targets in line with what is needed to keep global heating below catastrophic levels.

A roadmap to net-zero
Eurofiber  commits to reaching net-zero emissions across its value chain by 2040. By 2030, it will cut scope 1 and 2 emissions by at least 90% from its 2021 baseline, ensure 100% renewable electricity sourcing, and reduce scope 3 emissions by 30%. From 2030 to 2040, it will maintain a minimum 90% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions and further reduce scope 3 emissions by 90%, fully aligning with its net-zero target.

Eurofiber has already significantly reduced its carbon footprint for scope 1 & 2 (direct emissions and electricity purchases) in recent years; this now amounts to only approximately 3% of our entire CO2 footprint. In order to also achieve our objectives in our supply chain (scope 3), we have established a supplier engagement program to inspire, enthuse and advise Eurofiber’s suppliers on improving sustainability of their products and organization. This will result in a further reduction of CO₂ emissions in our supply chain in the coming years, moving towards net-zero in 2040.

Sustainability at the core of business strategy
Eurofiber has a leading role in society in the field of digital infrastructure. We believe that this entails a broader responsibility, and are firmly committed to pursuing sustainable growth for our own organization, for our employees and for society as a whole. Our ESG policy encompasses sustainable production at our suppliers, an inclusive work environment for our employees, and climate change mitigation, including innovations serving the energy transition and the digital transition. In May 2024, Eurofiber was ranked in the top 1% of best-performing companies globally by EcoVadis, acknowledging the company’s strong ESG program.

Not only is Eurofiber moving towards an increasingly international focus in its business activities, but Eurofiber's ESG team is also taking on a leading role internationally. Together with NLconnect, the Dutch IT-sector organization, Eurofiber has joined a consortium of 18 parties working on preparing Product Category Rules (PCR) for active and passive equipment in fiber optic networks. Worldwide, companies can now use these PRCs to prepare Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) for their products.

Jeroen Kanselaar, ESG manager at Eurofiber, chairs the Sustainability Committee of the FTTH Council. This committee recently launched the FTTH Eco Platform, which supports companies in the sector in calculating their CO₂ footprint at an organizational level. Uniquely, the Eco Platform also offers outcomes of carbon emission impacts for the entire European sector. Kanselaar is also co-lead of the Green Digital Action program of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), bringing together partners worldwide to advance climate action through digital innovation.

Eurofiber’s strategy for achieving these Net-Zero Targets is in line with the FTTH Council ambitions to create a digital and sustainable Europe with full fiber.  Similarly, it is aligned with the ITU calls to action at COP28 as well as the ITU Declaration on Green Digital Action at COP29.

To learn more about Eurofiber’s sustainability initiatives and ESG commitments, check out our latest ESG report here.

More information about SBTi please find here

Andrew Edison is a leader with over 30 years of experience in executive roles in the Telecom and ICT markets. He started his international career at AT&T, where he held operational and commercial positions in Paris, New Jersey, and latterly in London where he was Region Vice President, EMEA Region. In 2015 he joined Level 3 Communications as Senior Vice President of EMEA Sales. In 2018, Andrew moved  to Colt Technology Services as Vice President Strategic Alliances, then as Vice President Global Enterprise & Capital Markets. His most recent role at Colt was Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, a position he held for 2.5 years. Andrew joins Eurofiber from Global Internet provider Expereo, where he was Senior Vice President Global Wholesale.

At Eurofiber, Andrew Edison will report to CCO Andrea Kraus. His focus and responsibilities will be in the field of designing and steering commercial strategies for the different markets and for the Eurofiber Group as a whole. 

Arcadiz, established in 1999, is a leading business critical connectivity provider with vast experience in designing, building, maintaining and operating networks for the most advanced customer network requirements in Benelux. Arcadiz provides high-end tailored connectivity services to large customers across profit and non-profit segments, including large enterprises, governments and utilities. Based in Leuven, Arcadiz has 38 employees. Completion of the acquisition of Arcadiz is subject to customary regulatory approvals in Belgium and is expected to conclude in Q1 2025.

About Arcadiz
Arcadiz is a leading business critical connectivity provider with more than 25 years of experience in designing, building, maintaining and operating networks for complex business connectivity needs in Benelux. The networks are delivered turnkey and are built with the most advanced optical, packet and IP technologies meeting customers’ ever-growing demand for confidentiality, integrity and availability of their data. Arcadiz combines consultancy and network integration with its own business critical connectivity. To this purpose, Arcadiz operates a DWDM and an MPLS-IP backbone with A-brand hardware connecting major datacenters in the Benelux and FLAPD cities (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris, and Dublin) for its customers valuing low-latency, deterministic, secure, and uncontended connectivity with 99,9995% availability. Arcadiz has its headquarters in Leuven and operates in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg.

A steady increase in cyber threats and evolving global regulatory requirements are driving a spike in demand for quantum-safe encryption. Eurofiber is therefore partnering with Juniper Networks and Quantum Bridge to integrate advanced post-quantum cryptography into its extensive network infrastructure. This partnership positions the companies at the forefront of the emerging quantum technology market, securing these networks from cyberattacks using a quantum computer by combining Juniper Networks’ SRX firewalls with Quantum Bridge’s DSKE technology.

Quantum Bridge's patented DSKE technology does not rely on traditional asymmetric cryptography, a part of today’s encryption which is both widely used and vulnerable to quantum cyberattacks. DSKE is an unbreakable security solution which seamlessly integrates with existing firewalls and infrastructure, enabling Eurofiber to provide scalable, future-proof security for its clients. By combining cutting-edge key distribution technology with Eurofiber’s reliable connectivity, sensitive customer data is automatically protected against potential attacks using a quantum computer.

Partnering with Juniper and Quantum Bridge strengthens our commitment to secure and reliable connectivity. The partnership leverages our position as a leader in the fiberoptic market and ensures our customers are protected against evolving cyber threats, including those posed by quantum computing. Over the past few years, we have collaborated with partners to test various advanced technologies, including Post Quantum Cryptography, QKD and DSKE” said Eric Kuisch, COO at Eurofiber.

DSKE technology
Distributed symmetric key establishment (DSKE) is an advanced and highly scalable key distribution technology trusted by large financial institutions, enterprise clients, and service providers that require a multi-layer, defense-in-depth security strategy. It fully automates the creation and distribution of symmetric keys, without relying on computational complexity or asymmetric encryption. DSKE is the industry’s first scalable symmetric key distribution technology, combining the scalability of public key infrastructure (PKI), the security of quantum key distribution (QKD) and the simplicity of pre-shared keys.

Quantum-safe financial systems
Recently, Eurofiber successfully showcased the DSKE technology in a high-security environment. 
At a recent meeting of central banks in Rome, representatives from G7 countries discussed the cryptographic risks associated with the advancement of quantum computing. On that occasion, Eurofiber demonstrated how the Quantum Bridge DSKE technology combined with Juniper Networks SRX firewalls can play a leading role in securing the financial system from attacks by malicious actors using quantum computers. The demonstration was attended by global leaders in central banking and commercial banking who agreed that now is the time to plan an orderly migration of the financial system towards quantum-safe encryption.

“Our collaboration with Eurofiber and Juniper Networks represents a significant step forward in delivering quantum-safe communication solutions to a rapidly expanding pool of customers. By integrating our DSKE technology into Eurofiber’s infrastructure and Juniper’s SRX firewalls, we’re not just addressing current security needs but also preparing for the challenges of tomorrow’s digital landscape,” said Mattia Montagna, CEO of Quantum Bridge. 

“Quantum computers capable of breaking today’s asymmetric encryption may be as little as 5 years away according to some experts. It is therefore vital to act now to protect sensitive data and networks. This is why, together with Eurofiber and Quantum Bridge, we have developed a simple and easy-to-implement system which works with existing network infrastructure, making it easy for government corporations and other key stakeholders to protect their systems.” said Melchior Aelmans, Chief Architect & Quantum Lead at Juniper Network

About Juniper
Juniper Networks believes that connectivity is not the same as experiencing a great connection. Juniper's AI-Native Networking Platform is built from the ground up to leverage AI to deliver the best and most secure user experiences from the edge to the data center and cloud. Additional information can be found at or connect with Juniper on www.juniper.net, LinkedIn, and Facebook.

About Quantum Bridge
Quantum Bridge was founded by Dr. Mattia Montagna and Professor Hoi-Kwong Lo, leveraging expertise developed at the University of Toronto. The company offers a suite of unbreakable, trustless quantum-safe communication solutions for discerning customers who absolutely cannot afford a breach. QB is also actively researching cutting-edge engineering and theoretical problems related to achieving long-distance quantum communication, and is developing multiple proprietary technologies to make current internet and cellular networks quantum-resilient. For additional information on these or other data security innovations from Quantum Bridge, please visit the company’s website at quantumbridge.io.

More information about this topic, please find the Juniper blog here
More information about Eurofiber Quantum Safe networking including a white paper, please find here

According to the latest EcoVadis sustainability rating (May 2024), Eurofiber Netherlands has attained the highest achievable status: Platinum. In attaining this platinum position with its ESG initiatives, Eurofiber has reached the top 1% high-performing companies, out of a total of 130,000 rated by EcoVadis worldwide.

Among other things, Eurofiber’s ESG program resulted in an SBTi-approved 100% reduction in CO2 in 2030 compared to 2021 (scope 1 and 2 emissions). The ambition is to be 100% climate neutral in 2040 (scope 1, 2 and 3).  To achieve this, Eurofiber is working on various sustainability initiatives. Examples include exclusively using sustainably generated electricity, adopting a lease policy focused on 100% electric driving, reducing energy consumption in the supply chain, and increasing circularity of products. 
Pilot projects on carbon-neutral construction and maintenance of the Eurofiber network and reductions in packaging materials will be starting shortly. To promote circular deployability of equipment, Eurofiber is also constantly exploring new opportunities for re-use.

With a platinum-standard final rating, Eurofiber scored higher than 99% of all companies rated by EcoVadis worldwide. The company recently scored 80 points in the sustainable procurement category – a substantial improvement compared to last year.

“Obviously, we are proud of this independent acknowledgement of our Platinum status by EcoVadis. In recent years, we have been making great strides with our Environment, Social & Governance goals and initiatives. Besides various projects to reduce CO2 impact in line with our SBTi ambitions, at the end of 2023 we asked over 40 of our key suppliers to join us in registering with EcoVadis. This enables us to monitor the ESG targets and results of our supply chain as well,” says Jeroen Kanselaar, ESG Manager at Eurofiber.

About EcoVadis
Since the independent agency was founded in 2007, EcoVadis has grown to become the world’s largest provider of business sustainability ratings, creating a global network of more than 100,000+ rated companies in over 180 countries. The EcoVadis Medals are awarded to the top 35% of companies rated by EcoVadis.

Essential infrastructure for the business market
The renewal of this partnership highlights the critical importance of Fiber to the Office (FttO) solutions for the business market. By laying high-quality fiberoptic connections, Eurofiber and Odido are providing the infrastructure that is vitally important to modern business operations. This infrastructure provides not only the highest standards of service quality and reliability, but also offers greater flexibility to respond to changing customer needs in terms of speed, capacity and new business locations.

In this partnership, Odido has full control over the active layer of the network along with the services provided, operating through Eurofiber’s fiberoptic infrastructure. In order to offer the highest quality of service, Odido manages the technology and equipment needed to regulate and optimize data traffic. Odido can also respond quickly to technological innovations and customer needs to deliver customized solutions aligned with each company’s specific requirements.

Sustainability and efficiency
A key aspect of this partnership is the drive towards sustainability, which is in line with the broader Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) goals of both companies. The cooperation between Eurofiber and Odido prevents the construction of parallel fiberoptic networks, while minimizing infrastructure construction. An efficient rollout of advanced network services reduces inconvenience, lowers the risk of disruption to existing infrastructure and avoids redundant investments.

Fiberoptic connections were laid over a total distance of 560 kilometers to connect the ten LVNL locations to the Eurofiber core network. More than 25 kilometers of this involved excavation works to lay new fiberoptic cable. Capacity has been expanded to four fully separate 10 Gb/s DWDM routes, as needed to meet current and future requirements for reliability, speed and security. The new fiberoptic connections guarantee that all the applications that LVNL uses to safely guide all aircraft continue functioning optimally at all times. Before the new infrastructure was launched, this extensive project required the daily efforts of more than 50 engineers, network architects and other experts for 10 months. 
Construction was handled by Eurofiber partners Spie and BAM Telecom, while monitoring and processing is arranged in partnership with Proximus NXT (formerly Telindus).

Ultra-redundant network
LVNL has been tasked with managing the civil airspace over the Netherlands and part of the North Sea. Any aircraft crossing Dutch airspace or planning to land at or take off from an airport in the Netherlands must be able to do so in the safest way possible. LVNL provides extremely safe and efficient 24/7 handling of the huge flow of incoming and outgoing air traffic to and from Amsterdam Airport Schiphol and the regional airports elsewhere in the Netherlands. The new network delivered by Eurofiber is ultra redundant: four routes that are fully geographically separated. This extremely reliable network achieves a perfect balance between supreme availability, standardization and scalability, allowing seamless continuity in critical operations and enabling flexibility in handling current and future data flows.

Crucial Voice Communication System
The new nationwide network gives LVNL the ability to expand services to and from the region and guarantee continuity. This includes the Voice Communication System: the crucial voice link between the air traffic controller and the pilot of the aircraft. This VCS system is a safe, reliable connection which is being built centrally at Schiphol and rolled out for regional airports, thanks to the new network structure. This eliminates the need for a standalone local system. The availability of additional bandwidth creates space for new applications, such as Remote Tower, which will eventually make it possible to centralize air traffic control across several different airports.

This strategic partnership will leverage the strength of Eurofiber's rapidly growing European fiber footprint and Connectbase's innovative connectivity marketplace. By bringing Eurofiber’s 70,500 km of fiber optic network into a single trusted platform, the partnership aims to meet soaring data demands with greater efficiency.

The partnership allows Eurofiber to tap into Connectbase's robust base of global buyers to promote new revenue streams. In turn, Connectbase's customers gain real time quoting access to Eurofiber's infrastructure spanning from the Netherlands, Belgium and France.

About Connectbase
Connectbase is the global ecosystem for buying and selling connectivity. Designed to streamline interactions between buyers and sellers across the globe, Connectbase offers a dynamic and comprehensive ecosystem for all connectivity stakeholders. The Connected World platform serves over 300 providers globally, profiling 2.7 billion locations across more than 150 countries. Visit Connectbase at connectbase.com and follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/connectbase-us/.

Key ESG results achieved by Eurofiber in 2023:

- Eurofiber’s CO2 reduction targets have been approved by the Science Based Target initiative (SBTi) and the CO2 reductions we have achieved in 2023 are ahead of schedule for these targets.

- Progress has been made in the area of circularity; after use, 70% of CPEs returned by customers have been refurbished for reuse in our network. 

- In the pillar Social, Diversity & Inclusiveness, an internal training course was developed: Unconscious Bias. 

The ESG Report 2023 can be downloaded from the Eurofiber website here.

Highlights 2023

Eurofiber completed the new digital network of LVNL (Air Traffic Control The Netherlands) at the airports of Schiphol, Rotterdam-The Hague, Maastricht, Eelde and Lelystad. With the new fiberoptic infrastructure, air traffic can be managed and monitored at various airports from the central Air Traffic Control facility at Schiphol: infrastructure in the most critical sense.

Eurofiber acquired Appliwave and Avelia. Building on earlier acquisitions, Eurofiber continued to strengthen its position in the French market.

Eurofiber Cloud Infra has been commissioned by PinkRoccade in the Netherlands to realize a new Private Cloud environment for the iBurgerzaken application landscape, used by municipalities to provide citizen services.

In October 2023, Eurofiber received SBTi approval for its carbon reduction targets. Officially approved science-based targets commit Eurofiber to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 90% by 2030 and our scope 3 emissions by 30% from a 2021 base year.

Eurofiber and Colt Technologies announced a strategic partnership. The new partnership formalizes and expands the relationship between the two companies, and strengthens both companies' abilities to support customers with the agility and flexibility they need to thrive in today's digital economy.

2024
At the 2024 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona in February, Eurofiber and Nokia announced a partnership for supplying Mobile Private Network (MPN) services. This step marks the expansion of Eurofiber’s open digital infrastructure – over its own proprietary fiberoptic network – to include private mobile services. The new service enables businesses and institutions to enhance their efficiency even further. Also referred to as ‘Private 5G’, MPN provides an ultra-secure network with its own shielded and dedicated frequency. 

Eurofiber acquired the shares held by Vattenfall Wärme Berlin AG in their joint venture, Vattenfall Eurofiber, making it a wholly owned subsidiary of Eurofiber. The company, now renamed Eurofiber Berlin, aims to provide fiberoptic access to at least 500,000 households and businesses in the German capital. 

As part of a consortium, Eurofiber and its partner Q*bird succeeded in being the first in the world to build a scalable quantum internet connection, in the port of Rotterdam. A trial setup demonstrated that the use of quantum technology prevents access to sensitive information. In future, this new communication system could improve the security of the tens of thousands of seagoing vessels that visit the port every year and also better secure the resulting economic traffic from the threat of quantum computers.

In the latest EcoVadis sustainability rating in May 2024, Eurofiber Netherlands has attained the highest achievable status: Platinum. In attaining this platinum position with its ESG initiatives, Eurofiber has reached the top 1% high-performing companies, out of a total of 130,000 rated by EcoVadis worldwide.

About Eurofiber
Eurofiber has been a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure since 2000. Utilizing our own fiberoptic network and datacenters, we provide smart, open, future-proof cloud infrastructure and connectivity solutions to companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations.

Customers have complete freedom to choose the services, applications and providers they need, allowing them to tap into the full potential of digital innovation. Eurofiber has a 70,500 km fiberoptic network in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany, expanding by 50 km per week on average. Eurofiber companies operate ten datacenters in the Netherlands and France. Supplementing that vital infrastructure, we also offer interconnectivity between nearly all carrier-neutral datacenters in the Netherlands and Belgium through the DCspine platform. Eurofiber is laying the foundation under the digital society, which is why the Dutch government has assigned Eurofiber the status of ‘vital infrastructure’.

The Eurofiber Group consists of Eurofiber (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany), and Eurofiber Cloud Infra (Netherlands). Eurofiber participates in the joint venture Unifiber in Belgium and has an investment partnership with a nationwide fiber infrastructure operation with NGN Fiber Network (Germany).

Eurofiber is backed by Antin Infrastructure Partners, and PGGM infrastructure Fund as a minority shareholder. Antin is a leading private equity firm focused on infrastructure. With over EUR31bn in assets under management across its Flagship, Mid Cap and NextGen investment strategies, Antin targets investments in the digital, energy and environment, transport, and social infrastructure sectors. PGGM Infrastructure Fund is an open-ended fund with EUR14bn assets under management in infrastructure investments. Since 2010, the fund has been active in various infrastructure sectors, including digital.

About Colt Technology Services
Colt Technology Services is a global digital infrastructure company that creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose. Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to a global business spanning 40+ countries, with over 6,000 employees and more than 80 offices around the world. Colt’s customers benefit from expansive digital infrastructure connecting 32,000 buildings across 230 cities, more than 50 Metropolitan Area Networks and 250+ Points of Presence across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America’s largest business hubs. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector. Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and the planet. For more information, please visit www.colt.net

Earlier news on this topic: Colt and Eurofiber announce strategic partnership to address the growing demands for connectivity

IOEMA Cable system

IOEMA bridges core European markets with the Nordics where Bulk Fibre Networks is acting as a 
landing party in Norway, facilitating the connectivity to the N01 Data Centre, North of 
Kristiansand, and further towards Oslo.

IOEMA has selected Arelion as the provider of the infrastructure on the shores of Denmark and 
space in the ex-TAT-14 cable landing station, as well as further connectivity towards Esbjerg and 
Copenhagen, via their extensive network.

EWE TEL GmbH and Relined Fiber Network are joint landing partners in Germany, where the 
IOEMA cable system will terminate at a business park close to Wilhelmshaven, the new energy 
and transportation hub in the North of Germany. Both companies will provide backhaul routes to 
Hamburg, Berlin and beyond. 

Eurofiber together with QTS are the landing parties in Eemshaven, The Netherlands, reusing the 
existing infrastructure of the former TGN Northern Europe cable, terminating in the DC01 of QTS 
in Eemshaven. Eurofiber will provide backhaul connectivity to Groningen, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, 
etc. via their fiber network.

Colt Technology Services will accommodate the IOEMA Fibre System at their landing point in 
Dumpton Gap (i.e. Tangerine & PEC) and in their CLS Broadstairs. Backhaul towards all important 
data centre and Telehouse locations in Greater London are being connected seamlessly. 

“By increasing capacity, performance, and resilience across Northern Europe, the IOEMA project 
will have a profound impact on digital connectivity for this region and beyond. We’re excited and 
honoured to be playing a key role in bringing this ambitious vision to reality,” said Annette Murphy, 
Chief Commercial Officer, Colt Technology Services. 

“We are excited to partner with QTS and IOEMA Fiber Ltd. in this valuable project, which meets 
the growing need for backhaul capacity, and underlines the key position of Eemshaven as junction 
between the Nordics and Western Europe.” – Rhoderick van der Wyck, Managing Director 
International Business at Eurofiber.

“QTS is pleased to play a role in the IOEMA project, underscoring our support of strengthening 
connectivity across Europe. Our data centers are a critical part of the region’s infrastructure, and 
this project will bolster the capabilities of our services while reinforcing our ability to meet growing 
demand. We appreciate the partnership and work of all who are contributing to the success of 
this undertaking.” – Kees Loer, Vice President, Facilities Operations – Property Engineering 
(Europe) at QTS Data Centers.

“We’re proud to have been selected as landing party and connectivity provider for the IOEMA 
project. As the world’s number one ranked Internet backbone, we look forward to support 
increased network capacity and diversity through the project, regionally and internationally.” – 
Mattias Fridström, VP & Chief Evangelist, Arelion.

“Being a landing partner for this key project aligns well with our vision of enabling strategically 
diversified, sustainable connectivity into the Nordics. Bulk has a strong track-record of complex 
fiber projects, and we look forward to supporting the IOEMA Project meeting the demand for more 
critical, diverse infrastructure,” - Merete Caubet, VP Bulk Fiber Networks.

“After 5 years of development and observing the market in Northern Europe, it became evident 
that diverse routes are needed to provide the redundancy for the increasing data demand in the 
Nordics. We are proud to start this project together with our landing partners and provide further 
connectivity across Europe and beyond.” - Eckhard Bruckschen, CTO of IOEMA Fibre Ltd.

About IOEMA Fibre Ltd. 
The project company, IOEMA Fibre Ltd., was, after 4 years of project development, founded in 
2023. IOEMA is a state-of-the-art, high-capacity, 1400 km repeatered submarine fibre optic 
project that will arc across five key northern European markets – the UK, Netherlands, Germany, 
Denmark and Norway. The multicore 48-fibre pair system will support a minimum overall capacity 
of 1.3 Pb/s. 
www.ioemafibre.eu

Dutch news article newsroom Port of Rotterdam

Video Quantum Encrypted Fiber Network in Port of Rotterdam 

Equinix Fabric™ is an advanced software-defined interconnection solution that enables customers to directly, securely, and dynamically connect to distributed infrastructure and digital ecosystems on platform Equinix® through a single port without worrying about physical infrastructure.

Q*Bird’s Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) technology is based on the fundamental laws of nature, providing provable security against any attack, including those from future quantum computers. By seamlessly integrating QKD into Eurofiber’s network, this partnership aims to enhance the security of its own network while empowering its customers to safeguard their data against emerging cyber threats. Recognizing the critical importance of data security in today’s digital landscape, Eurofiber is committed to providing customers with the highest available standard of data protection.

About Q*bird
Q*Bird is a system provider for secure quantum communications. Their novel technology can protect our data communications and digital infrastructure, based on the fundamental laws of nature and provably secure against any attack, even with a future quantum computer. Q*Bird started in 2022 when it spun out of Delft University of Technology. During 2022, Q*Bird been field-testing its prototype systems in various datacenters in the Netherlands, making it available for integration tests with future users and customers. More recently, Q*Bird has started supplying their Quantum Key Distribution system to the Port of Rotterdam for internal data security, as well as to various EU27 member states as part of the EuroQCI.

As a leading provider of connectivity solutions, Eurofiber will be acquiring the shares held by Vattenfall Wärme Berlin AG in their joint venture, Vattenfall Eurofiber. From the earliest days of the joint venture back in 2021, it had been agreed that Eurofiber would eventually acquire the majority of shares. The company aims to provide fiberoptic access to at least 500,000 households and businesses. To achieve this goal, Vattenfall allowed use of its tunnel system in Berlin, covering over 700km, while Eurofiber contributed its expertise as a digital infrastructure provider to the joint venture.

Founded in 2000, Eurofiber has extensive experience in building and operating large-scale fiberoptic networks in urban centers in the Netherlands, France, Belgium and Germany.

Despite the shift in ownership structure, Eurofiber and Vattenfall will continue to work together moving forward. The company retains the right to use Vattenfall’s tunnel infrastructure for fiberoptic expansion. At this point, around 75,000 households already have the opportunity to switch to the fiberoptic infrastructure offered by Eurofiber, thanks to open access through one of the partner providers.

The acquisition does not involve any changes for business customers or end users of Vattenfall Eurofiber.

This is the translation of the original news item on the Vattenfall Eurofiber website

These renewed contracts extend the existing partnerships with the four companies. In addition to laying fiber, BAM Telecom and SPIE Netherlands have signed on for maintenance and damage repairs to the Eurofiber fiberoptic network. Meile de Haan, group director of Network Infra at Eurofiber: “BAM, Circet Netherlands, Siers and SPIE have made significant contributions to Eurofiber’s rapid expansion in recent years. Digital infrastructure is crucial to our customers, which include government authorities, utilities, telecom providers and large enterprises – and that’s why we place high demands on our supply chain partners. Accordingly, I’m delighted that we have signed new agreements with all four.”

Demand for business fiber connections continues to grow. Companies and organizations not only need new connections, but are also increasingly requesting a second or even third connection at the same location, guaranteeing availability at all times. De Haan: “Seamless collaboration with our contractors is a vital part of delivering the quality that our customers expect from Eurofiber. In addition, this partnership also means that we are constantly working together to identify more ways to improve. Innovation is therefore an important part of the new agreements, with the goal of further streamlining network construction, allowing us to connect our customers even faster and more cost-effectively. Increasing sustainability throughout the chain is another task that we will be addressing jointly with our partners.”

left to right; Eric Kuisch, Eurofiber, Edine Bekke, Eurofiber, Meile de Haan, Eurofiber, Russel Crye, Circet Nederland, Norian Wasch, Eurofiber, Jeroen Wijnen, BAM Telecom, Robert Doornebosch, SPIE Nederland, Hugo van Dam, Siers Telecom

BAM Telecom on the contract:
Jeroen Wijnen, director of BAM Telecom: “BAM Telecom is investing in cooperation that leads to trust and a long-term partnership with Eurofiber. This new agreement confirms that the trust is mutual and that we will achieve solid results together on that basis in the next five years. Continuing from BAM’s strategy of ‘Building a Sustainable Tomorrow’, we will be taking concrete steps in 2024 to make our operations more sustainable. We are also taking our service to a higher level by intensifying our focus on the quality and experience that Eurofiber and its customers demand from us.”

Circet Netherlands on the contract:
Russell Crye, CCO at Circet Benelux, emphasizes the solidity of the company’s long-standing partnership with Eurofiber, spanning over two decades. “The recent five-year contract extension confirms the strength of our partnership, rooted in shared values, with a shared focus on quality, customer satisfaction, delivery reliability and safe working practices. Eurofiber offers us room to actively contribute to innovation, joining forces to become even more innovative in the upcoming years, specifically emphasizing optimization in the areas of productivity and cost efficiency. This partnership illustrates the power of collaboration and our shared commitment to progress in our sector.”

Siers on the contract:
Hugo van Dam, managing director at Siers Telecom: “We are proud that Eurofiber has chosen Siers. It is a modern and balanced agreement based on partnership and trust in each other’s expertise. Eurofiber is really at the forefront of a trend here. We look forward to a great partnership and many satisfied Eurofiber customers.”

SPIE on the contract:
Henri van Zandbeek, Business Unit Manager FttX at SPIE: “This 5-year framework agreement is a great continuation of more than twenty years of partnership between Eurofiber and SPIE. Based on our high-quality knowledge and how much we value quality and flexibility, we will continue to help Eurofiber keep expanding its network. This puts us in a position to carry out the upgrades and migrations needed to ensure that the vital Eurofiber network continues to deliver reliable performance and is ready for the future. From our Projects team and data-driven Network Operations Center, we offer 24/7 availability to provide Eurofiber with turnkey solutions, expertly addressing any management and maintenance concerns. We look forward to achieving great things together in the next few years and realizing continued growth!”

The aim of MISD is to develop a new modular, sustainable and secure-by-design concept to be deployed in places close to end users (edge computing). The guiding principle is to achieve a significant reduction in total energy consumption, from cooling to computing power and data flows. Thereby, a CO2 reduction of more than 50% is set to be achieved in a validated, distributed setup in a field lab where different innovations developed in the project converge. The duration of the project is 5 years, from 2024 to 2029.   

The MISD consortium is thus taking the lead in European partnerships to embed sustainable applications into the foundation of the next generation of European cloud infrastructure and services. Maikel Bouricius, CMO of lead partner Asperitas on the project: "The MISD project is the outcome of years of collaboration in the Netherlands on energy-efficient data centers. Many stakeholders were involved in the initial phase to shape this initiative and this funding makes it possible for the Netherlands to be a development hub for the next generation of data centers. There are more field lab initiatives in Europe, but the distributed set up, scale and variety of innovations it will welcome is unique." 

Pioneering technology
The award of the funding is an important step towards the cloud infrastructure of the future. The consortium participants aim to develop a sustainable answer to the growing demand for (local) data center capacity in a more flexible way than is currently possible.  Bouricius: "Asperitas will work on the big challenge for cooling in the coming years. Compute requires more and more power, space and water, and advanced liquid cooling solutions are needed to make this growth sustainable. Optimal results require collaboration with a broad ecosystem, which this project makes possible."   

Sustainability is thus an important cornerstone of the project, underlines Theo Balijon, Digital Transformation Officer at BetterBe. "We will contribute to the development and realization of modular energy-efficient data center housing with distributed cloud infrastructure platforms. In addition, we will investigate how reduction of CPU cycles can be realized in application software." 

Jonathan Clark, Data Centre Sustainability Lead at Deerns said: “We are proud to be part of the consortium driving the creation of a 'Modular Integrated Sustainable Data Centre of the Future' in the Netherlands. In collaboration with partners we are pioneering innovative solutions for data centers. This groundbreaking project underscores Deerns MEP's design, building physics, energy concepts and energy efficiency modelling. These modular, integrated and sustainable solutions set new benchmarks for design excellence eco-friendliness.” 

Distributed data center workloads
Another important way to maximize the energy efficiency of the infrastructure to be designed is to spread workloads within the distributed network to those places where there are surpluses of renewable energy. This requires solid fiber-optic connections. Eurofiber brings its expertise to this theme, among others. "The development of a staging lab and a -via fiber connected- geographically distributed field lab environment will be part of our contribution to this project. Developing energy, data and compute use cases is also part of this," says Martin Vos, Business Innovation Director at Eurofiber.  

Given the constantly changing online threat landscape, security by design is a key focus: the infrastructure will be designed with availability and security in mind. "NBIP will investigate how the availability of online services can be secured in this new cloud infrastructure, for example by distributed DDoS mitigation. In the field lab, we want to demonstrate that a secure by design distributed setup makes cloud infrastructures more secure and reliable", said Octavia de Weerdt, director of NBIP.   

A more sustainable cloud
Ultimately, the project should enable a more sustainable cloud. To that end, it is important to make climate impact measurable. Marc van Dijk, TNO portfolio lead Digital Infrastructures: "We are investigating how sustainability parameters in distributed and federated data centres can be used to reduce the climate impact of cloud use. The software components we develop will make data centers contribute more to the flexibility needed in power grids to better deal with the variation in supply and demand of (green) energy."  

Finally, the University of Twente focuses on four sustainability-oriented lines of research, describes  Maria Vlasiou, professor of stochastic networks. "These include scalable, sustainable, innovative computational approaches for data center operations and data centers as active support for the power grid. We will also focus on advanced thermal management for sustainable cooling and heat utilization, software solutions for secure multi-party cloud systems, and stakeholder engagement through learning communities for inter-organizational learning and innovation implementation."  

Educating the public and stakeholders on progress
The consortium is developing a website to keep stakeholders and interested parties informed of the project's progress. In addition, consortium participants will proactively share their knowledge gained during the project, for example during events, workshops, knowledge sessions and webinars.   

About the Modular Integrated Sustainable Datacenter (MISD) project
MISD will start in 2024 as a joint project of Asperitas, BetterBe, Deerns, Eurofiber, Nationale Beheersorganisatie Internet Providers (NBIP), TNO and University of Twente to develop a new generation of sustainable, energy-efficient, modular and secure-by-design data centers. To this end, the consortium has received funding from the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate in late 2023 under the European Important Projects of Common European Interest - Cloud Infrastructure and Services (IPCEI-CIS) program. The MISD project will run for five years.   

Innovations resulting from the project will come together in a geographically distributed field lab. Research and development will include new liquid cooling techniques, making housing and compute more energy efficient, security by design in a distributed cloud infrastructure, parameters for the climate impact of cloud usage and its reduction, and data centers as support for a more flexible energy infrastructure. The consortium will launch a website in 2024 to inform about, and engage stakeholders and the public with the project's progress. 

The challenge of SBTi is to limit global warming to 1.5°C and prevent the worst effects of climate change. With the aim to mobilizes the private sector to take the lead on urgent climate action. The SBTi is a partnership between CDP, United Nations Global Compact, World Resources Institute (WRI) and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

‘’We’re proud to receive this internationally recognized approval by SBTi. This further encourages us to take the right steps in our sustainability ambitions for Thought Leadership in the ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) field’’, says Jeroen Kanselaar, Manager ESG of Eurofiber.

Official approved science-based targets commits Eurofiber to reduce absolute scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions 90% by 2030 and our scope 3 emissions by 30% from a 2021 base year. Eurofiber commits to increase active annual sourcing of renewable electricity from 95% in 2021 to 100% by 2025 and to continue active annual sourcing of 100%.

Last year Eurofiber completed a Euro 1.5 billion sustainability-linked refinancing supporting further network expansion across Europe. The facilities and the related hedging have sustainability incentives in alignment with Eurofiber’s sustainability program, which includes, among other things, measures that will lead to a 50% CO2 reduction by 2025 (compared to 2021), furthering the company’s stated goal to be 100% climate proof by 2030, as well as measures regarding gender balance. For this facility Eurofiber received the GlobalCapital's Sustainability Linked Loan of the Year Award, one of the leading information sources of the international capital markets. 

Eurofiber ESG ambitions & 2022 ESG report 

Colt’s Hybrid On Net empowers businesses to experience the advantages of a dedicated fiber optic connection without the burdensome expenses and complexities associated with constructing their network infrastructure. This innovative solution enables Colt to expand its fiber network, operating the passive dark fiber of carefully chosen metro suppliers. As a result, enterprises can access dependable, high-performance, and secure network services across various locations through the dense Eurofiber network, further enhancing Colt's offerings to its customers.

The new partnership formalizes and expands the relationship between the two companies, which began in 2010. It underlines their ongoing mutual commitment to offering businesses superior digital connectivity, enabling them to seamlessly connect economic and commercial hubs throughout Europe.

“We are delighted to partner with Eurofiber,  a leading provider of digital infrastructure with very strong local presence in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Germany," said Keri Gilder, CEO of Colt Technology Services. "This partnership aligns with our ongoing commitment to enabling digital transformation and transforming the way the world works through the power of connectivity. Our partnership with Eurofiber in France significantly boosts our ability to deliver exceptional connections through our intelligent Colt IQ Network, providing enterprises with the best network services for the best customer outcomes."

Alex Goldblum, CEO of Eurofiber, said: “We are excited to partner with Colt, demonstrating our unwavering commitment to driving the digital society, filled with boundless opportunities. Eurofiber is driven by an ambitious growth agenda in Western Europe, and we are enthusiastic about the prospects this collaboration presents for our valued customers. By combining Colt's global network with Eurofiber's expertise and local presence, we can offer enterprises comprehensive and dynamic digital infrastructure solutions. Our partnership strengthens both companies' abilities to support customers with the agility and flexibility they need to thrive in today's digital economy.”

As the world's bandwidth demands continue to surge, and with a growing number of enterprises depending on cloud-hosted infrastructure, organisations are progressively seeking diverse connectivity solutions to guarantee dependable and secure access to their data and applications.

Colt and Eurofiber's collaboration accelerates their shared ambition to lead in enabling digital transformation. By delivering customised connectivity solutions that meet the evolving demands of today's and tomorrow's enterprises, this partnership marks a major step forward in delivering the network of the future. This partnership promises to benefit customers, employees, stakeholders, and society as a whole. Customers will gain access to unparalleled opportunities for expanding their digital presence and accomplishing a wide range of objectives.

About Colt Technology Services
Colt Technology Services (Colt) is a global digital infrastructure company which creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt  is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose.  Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to more than 60 offices around the world. The powerful Colt IQ Network connects 222 cities and 32 countries with more than 1000 data centres, 51 Metropolitan Area Networks and over 31,000 buildings across Europe, Asia and North America’s largest business hubs. Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector. Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and planet.

For more information, please visit www.colt.net

The Eurofiber cycling team took part again this year, pedalling hard to collect a fantastic 11,195 euros with their efforts. This year’s event raised over 1 million euros for this charitable cause: individual cancer research. In contrast to last year’s cold and rainy weather, this eleventh edition had nothing but sunshine. The view during the climb was breath-taking, enjoyed by participants and volunteers alike. The Stelvio For Life organization had arranged every detail to perfection; once the mayor of Bormio had announced the total amount, it was party time on the village square at Piazza Cavour. It was unforgettable. Special thanks to everyone for the support and donations! We look forward to seeing you again next year.

Over Stelvio For Life
This foundation believes in a treatment for cancer patients based on the DNA profile of their tumour. To make this all happen, and to be able to give patients a longer and better life,  Stelvio For Life raise money for individualised cancer research. 
That, together with the passion for sports, results in the annually returning charity sports event: Stelvio for Life.

More information

Eurofiber Nederland B.V. (“Eurofiber”) and ConnectiviTree (Europe) AG (“ConnectiviTree”) today announced they have signed a Cooperation Agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, ConnectiviTree will acquire dark fiber on Eurofiber’s 66,700 km four-country fiber network, and Eurofiber will have an option to extend its strategic network reach on ConnectiviTree’s pan-European network, which aims to connect over 250 Points of Presence within Europe and beyond by 2025.

“Eurofiber is growing its fiber footprint fast based on a mix of strong customer demand and strategic acquisition, and it makes sense to collaborate with other network builders like ConnectiviTree to accelerate mutual growth,” said Eurofiber’s Managing Director International Business, Rhoderick van der Wyck. “We are delighted to join ConnectiviTree’s innovative global partner network and look forward to working with them to enhance and extend our international portfolio.”

“We are excited about Eurofiber’s endorsement of our business plan and more so about realizing the potential of this Eurofiber – ConnectiviTree alliance. With Eurofiber as a new partner, as part of our planned network rollout, our team will work closely with the Eurofiber team to extend our pan-European footprint and launch new services”, said ConnectiviTree President and CEO, Paul Cox. “We look forward to a long and mutually profitable relationship with Eurofiber.”

Andrea Kraus, Eurofiber Chief Revenue Officer, says: “Inter-organizational women’s networks are advantageous because they allow women to be vulnerable, share advice and put issues into perspective.” Adding to that, “RightBrains also provides training and development, and a hands-on approach to searching for and pursuing mentorship opportunities within the confines of a safe, industry-specific network.”

Eurofiber will host the RightBrains grand mentoring finale at the Eurofiber offices in Maarssen later this year.

Geke Rosier, founder of RightBrains, adds: “We are looking forward to Eurofiber bringing their knowledge, experience, and expertise to our community as mentors, educators, and collaborators. It is only when we collectively agree to make a difference, we can start seeing a difference!”

Eurofiber received the award for the EUR 1.5 billion debt facilities, which were placed in June 2022. The facilities and the related hedging have sustainability incentives in alignment with Eurofiber’s sustainability program, which includes, among other things, measures that will lead to a 50% CO2 reduction by 2025, furthering the company’s stated goal to be 100% climate proof by 2030, as well as measures regarding gender balance.

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"We are very pleased and proud of this award. It is a recognition from the market of our right strategic direction in which we integrate our sustainability program with the rapid fiber roll-out in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany," said CFO Edze Tollenaar.

Appliwave is a Paris-based B2B infrastructure telecom operator that provides enterprises and wholesale customers with FTTO connectivity. Founded in 2010, it was acquired in 2019 by Septeo, a company specialized in IT solutions for legal and real estate professionals. In recent years, Appliwave had deployed its own fiberoptic networks in Paris, Lyon, Annecy and Reims, with a total length of over 2,600 kilometers. Its backbone network covers the whole of France and extends to Germany.

Avelia, headquartered in Nice, was founded in 2003 and was acquired by Septeo in early 2022. It has a large customer base of enterprises and wholesale partners in Paris and Nice. Avelia provides them with network security, telecoms and internet services.

Appliwave and Avelia will become part of Eurofiber France. With this acquisition, the Eurofiber Group is expanding its footprint in France, further executing its growth strategy. Earlier acquisitions were Lille-based Eurafibre, Eura DC and ATE (2019), Lumos (Nantes, 2020), FullSave (Toulouse and Bordeaux regions, 2020) and Netiwan (Montpellier region, 2021).

Pierre Cassier, CEO of Eurofiber France: “We are excited to welcome Appliwave and Avelia within the group. They extend our French footprint with a dense network in Paris and strong momentum in Lyon, combining network assets, market knowledge and commercial achievements. Together with the existing management and staff, who already have done an excellent job building these companies, we will provide best-in-class services to a wider group of customers and accelerate growth.”

Johannes Pichler [1983] has been active as an entrepreneur and Managing Director within the German ICT and datacenter industry for more than 18 years. In 2004, Mr Pichler co-founded Globalways, which he developed together with his team from a local internet service provider to a leading city carrier and datacenter operator in the Stuttgart region. Until recently, he held the position as Managing Director of Globalways.

Johannes Pichler succeeds Christoph Klein, who until recently combined his position as CEO of NGN Fiber Network with his role as Managing Director within the Eurofiber Group. Mr Klein will now focus on the latter again, in which he is responsible for developing and executing the Group’s expansion in Germany.

About NGN Fiber Network
NGN Fiber Network GmbH & Co.KG is a leading German provider of dark fiber connectivity since more than 20 years. With a constantly growing fiber infrastructure of over 19,000 km, NGN reaches all major cities, metropolitan areas or internet hubs that are important for telecommunication. The company offers a national backbone ring for Germany, international connections in neighbouring countries and, as a partner of Eurofiber, also cross-border-connections to The Netherlands, France and Belgium.

During the Dreamforce ’22 conference on September 20, in San Francisco, former Eurofiber employee and Salesforce developer Sima Samara received an honorary Golden Trailblazer Hoodie on the main keynote stage by Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff. This hoodie symbolizes a special recognition for learners and innovators who use Salesforce to build successful careers, companies and/or communities all over the world. Sima’s story of hope - fleeing from her home country for safety reasons and starting a new career in a new country as a Salesforce developer in The Netherlands at Eurofiber, through Refugeeforce – inspired many people.

Steven Klockaerts, Eurofiber Group CIO: ‘Our entire IT team felt very proud to see Sima on stage during Dreamforce. And even colleagues within the IT team who didn’t know Sima, or just got to know her briefly, felt that. She really knows how to take the stage, I really enjoyed seeing that’, Steven adds [with a big smile]. ‘I never doubted that an individual like Sima would bring so much to Eurofiber. And not just in terms of her work, but also the positivity and the energy she brought to the team. I really believe we perform better as a team because of that.’

Sima, who’s now currently working as a Salesforce consultant at Capgemini, started as a Salesforce developer at Eurofiber in December 2019. She was one of the candidates Eurofiber hired through Refugeeforce, a charity that has the mission to create more opportunities and access for refugees.

Steven: ‘The opportunity of taking part in the Refugeeforce program, being able to coach someone as a team and seeing them thrive, gives back so much positive vibes, team spirit, energy and adds to our happiness at work. It makes you step out of your daily routine and become more humble as a human being.’

Initially, the plan was to hire one candidate, but Steven’s team asked if him it was possible to hire one more. Steven: ‘My team always interviews candidates before a manager interviews them, because the team has to work with them. When I asked who wanted to interview candidates from Refugeeforce, a lot of people from our team stepped up. Hearing the stories and journeys of the candidates, really made an impact on the team, which is why it was extremely difficult for us to only hire one – and eventually two.’ Yet at the same time, as Steven explains, people who seek refuge in another country, feel they should be hired for the value and expertise they could bring to a company in the future and not because of the situation they’re in at that moment’

Salesforce interviewed Sima about her journey, along with Gaspar Rodriguez, founder Refugeeforce and Eurofiber Group CIO Steven Klockaerts, as Refugeeforce, Salesforce and Eurofiber played a significant role in the start of her career in The Netherlands. This interview was recorded and broadcasted live during the Dreamforce conference:  

Espoo, Finland – Nokia today announced the signature of a frame agreement with Eurofiber Group, the leading supplier and operator of Open Network infrastructure in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. The scope includes multi country DWDM roll out, datacenter switching and multiple other areas to increase Eurofiber Open Network footprint.

This agreement, covering all Eurofiber affiliates, underlines the mutual commitment of the two companies to develop superfast, high-capacity fiber optic networks in Europe with the highest service standards possible. Within Eurofiber France, first optical networks are already under deployment in the south and north of France. Next to France, Nokia is also deploying a DWDM city network in Germany for the Berlin based joint venture Vattenfall-Eurofiber. In Belgium, both companies agreed to renew the nationwide DWDM network. The Eurofiber Cloud Infra unit selected SR Linux from Nokia as their switching platform.

These networks will further enhance and expand the more than 60,000 km of Eurofiber fiber infrastructure.

Jan van Tetering, Senior Vice President Europe at Nokia, said: “Nokia is proud to add Eurofiber as a customer. We are determined to serve Eurofiber Group and its affiliates with our strong portfolio and presence in the four countries where they operate and help them expand their Open Networks’ footprint. This frame agreement is a solid foundation for our joint growth business ambition in Europe, sharing the same values to operate in an ethical, sustainable and secure way.”

Eric Kuisch, COO Eurofiber Group, said: “Eurofiber has an ambitious growth agenda in Western Europe. A fully integrated high capacity DWDM network, and future-proof, highly secure datacenter equipment are main technological enablers to realize these ambitions. We are looking forward to partner with Nokia in providing our customers with the highest quality available.”

‘The conclusions in the CSR Report show that the projects we initiated and started as a company really contribute to our CSR goals and our impact on society’, says Jeroen Kanselaar, CSR Manager at Eurofiber. ‘This is clearly visible in the improvements we have made in the areas of energy efficiency, renewable energy and social obligations.’ 

Some highlights of the 2021 CSR report:  

• In 2021, Eurofiber and RefugeeForce continued their collaboration which resulted in employment of a refugee from Syria throughout the year. 
• Eurofiber has incorporated a clause to apply the g account in the agreements with its contractors. 
• By requiring VCA**/ SCC**/ ISO45001 from our main contractors, Eurofiber has ensured, and independently verified, that their contractors execute their work safely. 
• In 2021 Eurofiber mainly used cables from a party that proactively reduces its production waste to an absolute minimum. 

‘By having the report verified by an external expert, FIRA Sustainability, we also received an independent review on our progress’, Kanselaar continues. ‘For 2022 and the years to come, we will start new impactful projects that contribute to our vision as a climate proof company, that is fair in the way they do business.’ 

Download our 2021 CSR report here. 

To learn more about our strong commitment to operating in an ethical, sustainable and secure way and our priorities on CSR, please visit our Corporate Social Responsibility page. 

Securing communication with quantum technology
As the number of cyber-crime incidents is increasing, concern has risen fuelled by the advent of quantum computing, data that is secured with today's standard cryptography methods are potentially under threat. Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) is a technology that distributes a data encryption key by using quantum effects in such a way that it is more secure against wiretapping attacks. Today and in the future, QKD helps protect data from potential future quantum computer attacks and is believed to play an essential role in securing networks with high-value data, such as critical infrastructure, governmental, police and justice department and financial data.

QuTech—a collaboration between the TU Delft and TNO—is one of the globally leading institutes for quantum technology and has developed the specific MDI-QKD technology on which the testbed is based. MDI-QKD (measurement device-independent QKD) offers a range of advantages in security and cost-efficiency when building larger networks compared to existing point-to-point QKD.

Integrating MDI-QKD
In this program, QuTech partners with leading open digital infrastructure provider Eurofiber, and Juniper Networks, a global leader in AI networking, cloud and connected security solutions. This partnership enables QuTech to help integrate a proof-of-concept MDI-QKD system into a commercial optical fibre network. The MDI-QKD system will be deployed at several Eurofiber locations. With this collaboration, QuTech, Eurofiber and other partners can leverage Juniper Networks routing, switching and security solutions to test new solutions.

Investigating the challenges that arise during installation and operation will also aid the development of a next-generation MDI-QKD system. Collaboration with existing and new partners and potential customers will allow identifying new use cases and systematically investigating integration challenges from the proof-of-concept experiments.

Developing the fundaments for the future digital infrastructure
The project is co-funded by TKI (Topconsortium voor Kennis en Innovatie) High Tech Systems and Materials. The development of this testbed can be seen in a larger context of national efforts to build an ecosystem around quantum networks and connect users, equipment providers and technology providers. MDI-QKD is one of the building blocks for the National Quantum Network, which will be developed and deployed by the Quantum Delta foundation in one of its Catalyst programs. This program aims to lay the foundation for the next generation of digital infrastructure in the Netherlands. 

Joshua Slater, Quantum Scientist engineer Qutech; “This is an important step for us because one of the goals of QuTech is to build and grow the quantum ecosystem. This is a final proof-of-concept before QuTech launches a spin-out to commercialize QKD technology further.”

Marc Hulzebos, Innovation Manager Eurofiber; “For Eurofiber this is a great opportunity to be at the forefront of developments in quantum network technology. We are excited to participate in the project and learn about the benefits of quantum security and quantum connectivity for our data infrastructures, including datacenters. It is our aim to provide the benefits of quantum security and connectivity to our customers as soon as they become available.”

Melchior Aelmans, Chief Architect at Juniper Networks; “We have received interest from our customers about advancements in Quantum technology and QKD, specifically. Our connected security solutions help customers secure every aspect of their networks. Participating in this testbed will provide valuable insights on quantum technology and how we can continue to keep customers protected now and into the future. The testbed offers a unique place to collaborate with partners on new security methods in Europe.”

User “Alice”,  one of the components of the QKD Testbed installed in the datacenter. Credit: Paul Brussee for QuTech.

About QuTech
QuTech is a mission-driven research institute of Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Together, we work on a radically new technology with world-changing potential. Our mission: to develop scalable prototypes of a quantum computer and an inherently safe quantum internet, based on the fundamental laws of quantum mechanics. More information is available at www.qutech.nl and Quantum Cryptography Lab - QuTech.

About Eurofiber
Eurofiber is a provider of industry-leading open digital infrastructure in the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. Utilizing our 61,700 km fiberoptic network and eleven datacenters, we empower the digital societies of these countries. We are proud of the fact that thousands of companies, government bodies and non-profit organizations entrust us with their vital infrastructure. We provide them with connectivity and cloud infra solutions tailored to their needs. Our open infrastructure ensures them complete freedom to choose services, applications and providers. For more information, please visit eurofiber.com.

Electrifying its fleet of 200 lease cars in the Netherlands and Belgium is part of the vast sustainability program which was started in 2020. Procurement Director Norian Wasch: ‘This program consists of a range of measures that need to count up to 50% of CO2 reduction by 2025 and the company being 100% climate proof by 2030.’ Energy saving and the use and recycling of environmental-friendly are among the other components of this program. Wasch: ‘We started various promising initiatives in the area of reducing our footprint by teaming up with our suppliers and partners, who are embracing the initiative and actively helping us finding solutions'.

Director People and Organization Yvonne van Rees - Vellinga says: ‘Alongside genuine enthusiasm of our suppliers, we see a pull from the labor market as well. Sustainability is one of the recurring topics applicants bring on the table in job interviews and our ESG (environmental, social, government)-policies help us in attracting scarce talents. In this way, building a sustainable, future-proof way of doing business, already pays off when recruiting in today’s labor market'. 

Maarssen, April 12, 2021 – As Eurofiber manages infrastructure in the Netherlands, Belgium, and France, with a branch in Germany, it is fully committed to ensure all services meet the highest reliability standards. By partnering with Conclude Accountants and TÜV Nederland for a company-wide integrated audit solution Eurofiber has taken its next step in making its policies and measures transparent for its customers and other stakeholders.  

In collaboration with the experts from TÜV Nederland and Conclude Accountants, Eurofiber was able to accomplish one framework for all its business units in which the risk management, standard ISAE3402 and multiple ISO standards are combined. The value of this approach is to be found in the external audits, which are now based on testing percentages of Eurofiber’s activities. Not just for ISAE3402, where this is common practice, but also for the ISO standards. In this way customers, partners and stakeholders are ensured of the quality and reliability of our organization and services.

TÜV Nederland is one of the forerunners with regard to certification in the field of information security, privacy, and cybersecurity (ISO 27001, ISO 27701, IEC 62443). Conclude Accountants is a leading provider of assurance services in the field of governance, risk, and compliance and is constantly looking for innovative developments in the market. Together Conclude Accountants and TÜV Nederland allow their customers to integrate certification services such as ISO 27001, ISO 9001, ISAE 3000, and ISAE 3402. They work on international ISAE 3402 (SOC 1) and ISAE 3000 (SOC 2) assignments, in which audit activities are combined as much as possible with ISO assignments, to realize an integrated audit as effectively as possible.

‘The CSR report supports our promise to be intrinsically linked to society as well as our role of a vital infrastructure player’, Eurofiber Group Procurement director Norian Wasch explains. ‘The results indicate that we are making good progress on our CSR policies and measures. We improved our scores in both Health & Safety at Work and Employability & Human Development, as well as in Privacy & Client Data Protection.’

The purpose of the CSR report is to provide customers and stakeholders more insight on several areas such as human rights, labor, environment, fair operations and consumer issues. As such, Eurofiber successfully started publishing its own CSR report in 2018 in collaboration with FIRA Sustainability. ‘We want to be fully transparent about our CSR policies’, Eurofiber Group QSHE manager Natalie Faas adds. ‘External assessment by a CSR Register such as FIRA, is therefore essential. It is great to see that they also confirm that we are on the right track with our CSR program.’

Visit our Corporate Social Responsibility page for more information.

Download our 2020 CSR report here.