30 September 2019

EllaLink shortlisted for the 2019 Global Carrier Awards, Project of the Year – Subsea networks

Here at EllaLink we are thrilled to have been shortlisted for the Best Project award for the Capacity Global Carrier Awards 2019. We originally entered the project in recognition of the enormous commitment and perseverance of our team over the last seven years. As you may know, the EllaLink system was first conceived back in 2012 when, during discussions between GEANT and RedCLARA (together BELLA), the need for a direct link between European and Latin American scientific research and education communities because apparent. From this small seed our founders Alfonso Gajate and Ross Mullins have tirelessly steered the project from initial concept to commencing construction in 2019.

A truly open cable system

Along the way we were joined by key anchor tenants such as EMACOM and Cabo Verde Telecom as well as partners such as Telebras. We gained a financial sponsor in Marguerite and a powerhouse CEO in Philippe Dumont. EllaLink is a large project driven by a small and dynamic team with the primary aim of bringing an alternative choice for those wishing to cross the Atlantic.

A new route to change the transatlantic playing field

At our heart is neutrality and we strive to offer open access to any type of operator on a carrier neutral basis. Customer choice is our modus operandi.

In the past, transatlantic submarine cable systems have typically taken a route across the North Atlantic from Europe to Canada, New Jersey, New York and more recently Virginia Beach. The primary focus of the EllaLink system is to offer an essential high-speed and affordable connection across a diverse transatlantic path for those wishing to reach Latin America directly from Europe, and vice versa. Plus, amazing improvements in Round Trip Delay, of up to 50%, between Madrid and São Paulo will be possible via EllaLink which will have a big impact on the global IP market and on the enterprise IT delivery model.

Removing the need to transit via North America improves the predictability of performance because only one cable system is traversed to reach the end point, instead of two.

Software platforms are very sensitive to transmission delays and this limitation has forced providers to deploy their applications in data centers close to their end users. The dramatic decrease in latency provided by the EllaLink route offers an entirely new way for the corporate world to define the architecture of their application layer for companies present either in Europe or Latin America. Which in turn creates a change in paradigm for data center infrastructure used for app deployment.

Sines, the gateway to Southern Europe

To complete its optical platform for data center to data center connectivity, EllaLink offers integrated diverse terrestrial routes to São Paulo, Madrid and Marseille giving additional protection and ensuring high end-to-end system availability.

We have chosen to land in Sines in Portugal to avoid the congested areas of Sesimbra, Carcavelos and Seixal, and we are creating a new cable landing station in a site ideal for data center expansion.

By selecting this landing site, EllaLink is helping to address the lack of regional diversity, and with new landing sites come new cable stations and alternative terrestrial routes. EllaLink is keen to support further development of the countries broadband and green power networks, for instance we are developing two 50MW solar plants locally at the landing point.

There will no doubt be challenges along the way, there always are, but being recognised by Capacity for the progress that we have made is a great achievement in itself. We look forward to the ceremony on the 30th October. See you there @Capacity!

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