Unveiled as part of its strategic investments plans, Exa will add a new 550km DWDM system on two dark fibre routes landing in Chania, Crete.
These new extensions will enhance Exa’s network footprint by connecting Chania to both Athens and Preveza, the three emerging connectivity hotspots and delivering additional route diversity.
“The demand for reliable, high-capacity connectivity is driven by the growth of new subsea cables landing in Crete which will connect Europe with the high the growth Asia Pacific and African regions,” said Steve Roberts, vice president of network investments at Exa Infrastructure.
“Additionally, a number of data centre operators have announced builds on the island, which will position Crete as a neutral interconnect location for subsea cables.”
Connecting Crete to Exa’s extensive backbone offers distinct routing options allowing customer traffic to connect seamlessly into Italy without having to land in Athens.
Crete is quickly becoming the most southerly alternative gateway into Europe, offering diversity from Palermo and Marseille.
“Exa is strategically positioned to capture a share of this growth by addressing the scaling challenges of existing networks and leveraging the success of Trans Adriatic Express and the Ionian Cable,” added Roberts.
“We anticipate this investment to not only bolster our regional presence but also position Exa as the leading player in providing reliable and efficient connectivity solutions across the broader European landscape.”
The network direct route to Athens with be ready for service in the first quarter of 2024 with phase two due for completion by the third quarter.
Last month, Exa further expanded its presence in Greece, now live in Lancom’s Balkan Gate data centre. Bolstering Lancom’s connectivity and infrastructure services and establishing Greece as a critical link to internet exchanges in Europe.
