Medusa submarine cable to connect to the Red Sea through Telecom Egypt

28 September 2023

Telecom Egypt, Egypt’s first integrated telecom operator and one of the largest subsea cables operators in theregion, and the Medusa Submarine Cable System, a neutral and independent Mediterranean submarine infrastructure operator, have signed an agreement to extend Medusa to the Red Sea. The 8,760 km long submarine cable, which will land in the Egyptian city of Port Said by the end of 2025, will be connected to the Red Sea landing stations of Suez, Zafarana, and Ras Ghareb through Telecom Egypt’s extensive terrestrial crossing network.

The companies’ CEOs signed the agreement during the Submarine Networks World event currently taking place in Singapore. The new connection will enable direct access of all the Medusa Mediterranean landings in Europe and North Africa to the Red Sea. Arriving at these geographically diverse Egyptian-landing points will present new connection points for the Medusa submarine cable.

Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer at Telecom Egypt, commented:

“We are pleased to host the Medusa submarine cable system in our subsea cable infrastructure. This new agreement provides additional connectivity solutions and increases diversity in the submarine cable infrastructure reaching the Red Sea, marking a significant milestone in the industry. Egypt’s unique position between Europe, Asia, and Africa, complemented with Telecom Egypt’s diligent efforts and extensive expertise in the subsea cable landscape, promote the company’s position as a go-to global digital hub and enable it to attract and collaborate with mega industry players. Our contribution to the international subsea infrastructure demonstrates the company’s commitment to offer state-of-the-art solutions to its partners and customers both locally and internationally.”

Norman Albi, Chief Executive Officer at Medusa and AFR-IX telecom, stated:

“Thanks to Egypt’s privileged location for the deployment of intercontinental submarine cables, and our continuous partnership with the country’s first integrated telecom and subsea cables operator, we are thrilled to announce today’s agreement. With a partner like Telecom Egypt, we will be able to unleash the full potential of Medusa and extend it towards the Red Sea, further enabling enhanced regional connectivity and providing more efficient connectivity to the whole world. Together, we have created a new product that the market should find innovative and attractive, not just in terms of cost, but deployment lead times and scalability as well.”

In March 2022, Telecom Egypt and AFR-IX telecom signed an initial agreement to land Medusa at the Port Said station. This marked a significant step, as Medusa will connect ten countries in Africa and Europe – Portugal, Morocco, Spain, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt – through its landing points. The cable will become operational in the Western Mediterranean in 2025.

In March 2022, Telecom Egypt and AFR-IX telecom signed an initial agreement to land Medusa at the Port Said station. This marked a significant step, as Medusa will connect ten countries in Africa and Europe – Portugal, Morocco, Spain, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt – through its landing points. The cable will become operational in the Western Mediterranean in 2025.

With segments housing up to 24 fiber pairs capable of transmitting 20 Tbit/s per fiber pair, Medusa’s landing at Egypt’s coast by the end of 2025 will be a milestone that further enhances the country’s position as a hub and strengthens its status as a strategic connection point between Asia, Africa and Europe. Egypt currently has 14 subsea cable systems, 10 landing stations and 10 terrestrial routes crossing the country, connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea.

Telecom Egypt is working on developing the geographic diversity of the international submarine cables infrastructure on several levels, including establishing landing stations and new routes for crossing subsea cables as well as increasing its investments in new cable systems and cutting-edge solutions to keep pace with the increasing global demand for international connectivity. Telecom Egypt continually makes significant investments in its global infrastructure to provide the shortest and most reliable routes for its partners worldwide. With a well-established history in the subsea cable industry and a team of top-notch professionals, Telecom Egypt is the subsea cable deployment partner-of-choice for more than 160 major subsea cable players.

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