Network & Technology

e& will land world's largest subsea cable in the UAE

05 Feb 2024

e& Carrier & Wholesale is set to anchor the 2Africa subsea cable, marking the most extensive subsea cable system landing in the UAE to date.

The chosen gateway for this significant development is Kalba, a serene city in the North-eastern part the United Arab Emirates. This strategic choice complements e&'s existing Fujairah cable landing station, fortifying diversity and resilience in UAE’s connectivity landscape.

The 2Africa consortium of Bayobab, centre3, China Mobile International, Meta, Orange, Telecom Egypt, Vodafone Group and WIOCC, is developing an impressive 45,000 km submarine cable system, which is  the world’s largest subsea cable project, fostering interconnection between Europe, Asia, and Africa. Alcatel Submarine Networks is responsible for the manufacture and installation of the 2Africa cable. The cable is set to deliver essential Internet capacity and reliability across substantial parts of Africa, while also addressing the growing capacity demand in the Middle East.

As the designated landing partner for 2Africa in the UAE, e& will lead the development of the necessary infrastructure for the landing station and will be responsible for maintenance in the coming decades.

Nabil Baccouche, e& Group Chief Carrier & Wholesale Officer, said: " 2Africa project promises to elevate the overall digital landscape in the region, solidifying the country's position as one of the region's premier ICT hubs. e&’s involvement in this transformative project will significantly enhance the Internet user experience in the UAE, enabling the world’s largest content providers and global carriers to deliver cutting edge technology in e& carrier-neutral data centre ecosystem, SmartHub.”

Around 20 subsea cable systems land in the UAE and the majority of these are managed by e&, which boast unique technical expertise, a robust operating structure, a neutral access Data Centre,  diverse landing stations, and adherence to global standards.