Orange will offer a high-performance interconnection solution to all partner operators of the new Medusa Submarine Cable System — the first and longest submarine cable to connect the main Mediterranean countries.
Medusa is an 8,760 km subsea system linking the North African countries and six EU member states (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus).
Medusa is an open system that includes 16 landing points around the Mediterranean Sea. The cable will have segments withup to 24 fiber pairs with a capacity of 20 Tbps per fiber pair. Its festoon architecture gives it a unique design.
It is expected Medusa cable reaches Marseille during the last quarter of 2024. The system will be ready for service end of 2024 for the West Med region and first half of 2025 for the East Med region.
Orange is building submarine cable landing infrastructure in Marseille to make France more attractive as a digital gateway for global exchanges.
Construction includes new urban infrastructure to increase the resilience and diversity of access and landing points in Marseille while connecting all the city’s data centers.
Orange will handle all the technical, regulatory, security, and environmental aspects, enabling its partners to enjoy a prime position in Marseille and strengthening France’s attractiveness
“We are particularly pleased to welcome the Medusa cable to Orange’s infrastructure in the heart of the Mediterranean hub of Marseille, as part of a strategic and ambitious project. By combining our submarine cable landing stations with our new urban infrastructure, we are strengthening Marseille’s attractiveness as a digital gateway to Europe, and beyond that, France’s sovereignty,” explains Michaël Trabbia, interim CEO of Orange Wholesale & International Networks.
Norman Albi, CEO of Medusa, stresses the importance of this agreement: “Marseille has always been a strategic Mediterranean interconnection point and joining forces with Orange means we can offer a cutting-edge service, against a background of growing needs in the digital economy. With this agreement, all Medusa landings in the western Mediterranean are totally secure and ready to be implemented.”
