Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Elettra Tlc were awarded the construction contract for the Medusa Submarine Cable System.
The Medusa subsea cable will link Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt. The subsystem named Via Tunisia, part of the Medusa Cable, linking France and Tunisia, is cofounded by the European Union under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) program, as already announced by Orange.
At over 8,700 km in length, Medusa will be the longest cable in the Mediterranean Sea and providing enhanced North-South and East-West connectivity. The system will use state of- the-art 24-pair fiber optic Open Cable technology to meet increasing broadband requirements in the region, with 20Tb/s minimum capacity per fiber pair.
Elettra Tlc will promptly engage survey operations, while equipment manufacturing and installation are planned to span over 2024 and 2025. Orange will provide landing infrastructures in France, Tunisia and Morocco.
The construction of Medusa is funded by AFR-IX Telecom, Orange and the European Union though CEF (Connecting Europe Facilities) grants.
“We have been working for more than 3 years to reach this point and we are tremendously grateful to all those who, from early stages, supported Medusa: collaborating companies and European institutions. Thanks to the support of North African Operators, financial institutions and leading companies such as ASN, Elettra Tlc, Orange and AFR-IX Telecom, Medusa will be in service the 4th quarter of 2025,” stated Norman Albi, CEO of Medusa.
“The Medusa submarine cable system marks a major step forward in telecommunications infrastructure. ASN is honored to be at the forefront of this ambitious project, which will bring high-speed Internet connectivity and seamless communication to the region, unlocking a world of opportunities for businesses, communities and individuals throughout the Mediterranean region,” said Paul Gabla, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer of ASN.
