17 October 2024

EllaLink & SPLANG start construction of subsea cable to French Guiana

EllaLink work has started this summer 2024 with the marine survey, initiating the process of the construction of a secured connection between French Guiana and Continental Europe.

EllaLink, the first high-capacity fibre optic submarine cable directly connecting Latin America to Europe, and SPLANG, the Local Public Company for the Digital Development of French Guiana, announce the beginning of the construction of the Lum@link system, the cable extension to Cayenne, French Guiana. This significant milestone follows the initial project announcement in January 2024. The Lum@link system is expected to be Ready for Service by 2026.

The project includes the construction of a Cable Landing Station in Cayenne and a 2,100 km cable extension connected to existing EllaLink’s subsea cable system. Alcatel Submarine Networks has been selected to build the subsea section which will include two fibre pairs and use state-of-the-art optical technologies such as a ROADM WSS branching unit. EllaLink will be also in charge of the operation & maintenance of this new infrastructure.

EllaLink network expansion to French Guiana - the Lum@link cable
EllaLink network expansion to French Guiana - the Lum@link cable

The SPLANG’s Lum@link system aims to provide French Guiana with a direct, low-latency connection to Continental Europe, ensuring sovereignty over data, generated in particular by its space and research industries, anchored by CNES (Centre National d’ Etudes Spatiales) and by the Guiana Space Centre (European base for space research and transportation). Lum@link circuits to Europe are expected to deliver an outstanding RTD (Round Trip Delay) under 80ms without regeneration. The new infrastructure will also connect French Guiana to Fortaleza, Brazil and beyond.

The new system, alongside recent cable developments, strengthens French Guiana as an emerging telecommunications hub, creating a bridge between the Caribbean region, Brazil and Europe, fostering new opportunities to bypass North America.

In addition to the main system, EllaLink and SPLANG are collaborating to develop a branch to the underserved Brazil’s Amazon region in the State of Pará. This project may result in the creation of a direct submarine link between Belem, Fortaleza and Cayenne that will enhance the region’s connectivity, improve network redundancy, and promote economic growth and international collaboration.

Co-funded by the EU Logo

Vincent Gatineau, SVP Subsea Infrastructure Development at EllaLink, said “We are honoured to have been selected by SPLANG both for the construction and the operation and maintenance of the Lum@link system. Since its inception, the EllaLink system has been designed to enable the gradual integration of new markets thanks to the inclusion of seven branching units. This is the fourth branch EllaLink is constructing from the main system, confirming the expertise of our team in managing the complete life cycle of telecom submarine cable infrastructures: from financial planning, engineering and construction to operation and maintenance. This project mirrors EllaLink’s dedication to facilitate connectivity in new geographies, improving the local reach with a global impact”.

Marie-Lucienne Rattier, president of SPLANG, added, “We are thrilled to begin construction of Lum@link. By directly connecting French Guiana to Europe and Brazil, we are contributing to the region’s digital transformation, addressing the digital divide by providing French Guiana with the low-latency, high-capacity infrastructure necessary for economic growth, improved access to education and healthcare, and overall social development. This project mirrors SPLANG’s dedication to fostering connectivity and developing our territory, French Guyana asserts itself as a crossroads of excellence and anticipates the interconnection of the entire Caribbean arc region!”

The construction of the new cable branch benefits from funding under the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) programme, emphasizing its significance and alignment with European Commission Global Gateway priorities for robust and secure infrastructure.

Hervé Dupuy, Head of Unit “Connecting Europe Facility – Digital”, Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA) commented: “The European Commission supports EllaLink to implement a groundbreaking project in French Guiana with a €29.9 million grant from the CEF-Digital programme managed by HaDEA. The initiative aims to enhance digital connectivity in this remote region by connecting it directly to continental Europe. This will not only strengthen the digital development of the Caribbean region but also improve the security and resilience of the strategically significant European Spaceport in Kourou. This investment demonstrates the EU’s commitment to fostering a more connected, resilient, and prosperous digital future for its outermost regions and Europe as a whole.

About SPLANG

The Société Publique Locale pour l’Aménagement Numérique de la Guyane (SPLANG) (local public company for the digital development of French Guiana) is owned by the CTG (Collectivité Territoriale de Guyane) and other local authorities and municipalities of French Guiana. It is the local authorities’ operational arm for the digital development of French Guiana. Created in 2014, SPLANG promotes the deployment of infrastructure operated by its shareholders (such as the fibre network and the satellite network in French Guiana). SPLANG is involved in financing its own infrastructure such as satellite relays, FTTO networks or international connectivity, supports and coordinates the development of digital uses, and acts as a public service operator in situations where private initiative is lacking. For more information, visit SPLANG website.

About the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)

The Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital Programme of the European Union offers co-funding for projects dedicated to developing digital connectivity infrastructures of common European interest. This programme is implemented by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), which operates out of Brussels. HaDEA is also responsible for overseeing initiatives across a variety of sectors such as health, food safety, industry, digital and space. Through its comprehensive management and strategic funding, the CEF Digital Programme plays a critical role in achieving Europe’s digital transformation.

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