Under the agreement, Sparkle and Turkcell will construct a 4,000 km diversified subsea cable route linking Türkiye to Europe’s telecommunications ecosystem.
The new cable, running between Izmir and Chania, will be capable of supporting more than 25 Tbps per fiber pair and will integrate with Sparkle’s BlueMed Cable System, extending connectivity from Chania to major Points of Presence in Milan.
Announced at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, the partnership aims to strengthen internet connectivity by tapping into the strengths of both companies to deliver uninterrupted, digital services across the region.
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Sparkle CEO, Enrico Bagnasco, said: “We are very pleased with this agreement with Turkcell which confirms Sparkle’s commitment to strengthen connectivity in the Mediterranean basin.
“Thanks to a unique low-latency path between Izmir and Chania, integrated with BlueMed, we create a new alternative digital corridor for communications between Europe, the Middle East and Asia.
“This collaboration is also part of the development of our GreenMed project which will further stimulate digital acceleration throughout the region and beyond.”
The subsea cable is expected to be completed and fully operational within a few years.
Turkcell CEO, Dr. Ali Taha Koç, added: "This subsea cable solution, with its impressive capacity between Izmir and Chania and a total distance of 4,000 km, offers a promising alternative route to the existing ones, enhancing geographical redundancy and ensuring that the international data connection remains uninterrupted even in the event of disruptions along traditional paths.
“This project not only strengthens the resilience of global data infrastructure but also provides a robust option for hyperscalers and content providers seeking reliable and secure connectivity between the East and the West.
“In a world where the demand for seamless, high-capacity internet connectivity is ever-growing, this project plays a crucial role in reinforcing the stability of international communications,” he concluded.
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