Cable agreement via Cyprus to enhance East Med connectivity
A state-of-the-art cable station and offshore submerging infrastructure will be built in Cyprus to enhance digital connectivity in the eastern Mediterranean.
The strategic cooperation between Grid Telecom and Tamares Telecom was announced on Wednesday.
The cooperation sets the foundations for the creation of critical infrastructure through the development of a telecommunications hub on the island’s western coast for the safe submerging and connection of submarine fibre optic cable systems in the eastern Mediterranean between Europe and the Middle East.
The open-access connectivity hub will connect Cyprus in the west with Greece and southeastern Europe and in the east with Israel, Egypt and the Arab peninsula, securing alternative and reliable international data traffic routes for wholesale and corporate clients.
Benefits include low response, strong backup, high speed and advanced cyber security.
The strategic cooperation between Grid Telecom, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) of Greece, and Tamares Telecom, a leading provider of fiber-based international communications and data services, operating as a vital network operator, a subsidiary of Aluma Infrastructure Fund, is considered to be a milestone for expanding regional digital infrastructure and promoting viable development.
By utilising Cyprus’ geographical location, Grid Telecom and Tamares Telecom are set to create a neutral open-access cable station that will connect local and international submarine and land optic networks.
Tamares Telecom is already cooperating with Grid Telecom to build and operate the Andromeda fibre optic network, which will branch off at the cable station in Cyprus and extend to other major western and eastern destinations, connecting Greece, Cyprus and Israel via a new high capacity telecommunications corridor between Europe and the Middle East.
IPTO chairman and CEO Manos Manousakis said IPTO projects, such as the Great Sea Interconnector between Crete, Cyprus and Israel and the new cable station Grid Telecom will be developing in cooperation with Tamares Telecom create a rich infrastructure ecosystem for the energy and digital transformation of Cyprus and the broader region.
Aluma Infrastructure chairman Ori Yogev said the cooperation for the cable station in Cyprus, along with Andromeda, will enhance security and add value to operations in Europe and the Middle East.