Grid Telecom, a subsidiary of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) of Greece, and Tamares Telecom, a fiber-based international communications and data service provider from Israel, have signed a deal to enhance digital infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean. The two companies have agreed to jointly participate in Tamares Telecom Cyprus, a fully licensed operator in Cyprus, which owns a cable landing station and landing infrastructure on the island's western coast.
Also Read: Tamares, Grid Telecom to Build Andromeda Subsea System Connecting Greece, Cyprus, and Israel
New Cable Landing Station
The Cable Landing Station will serve as an interconnectivity node, providing carrier and hosting facilities for international subsea optical fiber cable systems from Europe and the Middle East crossing the Eastern Mediterranean. It will connect Cyprus with Greece, Israel, Egypt, and other destinations in the East and West.
According to the statement, Grid Telecom and Tamares Telecom will offer, through their subsidiary Tamares Telecom Cyprus, state-of-the-art infrastructure for the secure landing and operation of subsea cable systems in Cyprus. This includes services for housing power feeding and subsea line terminating equipment, as well as other mission-critical equipment for the interconnection and peering of optical, Ethernet, and IP data traffic.
Impact on Europe and the Middle East
The partnership aims to establish a new telecommunications corridor between Europe and the Middle East. Leveraging Cyprus's strategic position, it will create a carrier-neutral, open-access hub with interconnection data center facilities, providing alternative low-latency paths to major destinations in Greece and Europe, including the Balkan region and Turkey, Egypt, the north coast of Africa, Israel, and the Arabian Peninsula, the official release said.
Tamares Telecom is already collaborating with Grid Telecom to construct and operate the Andromeda optical fiber cable system, which will land at the Cable Landing Station of Tamares Telecom Cyprus. This system will interconnect Greece as a new eastern gateway to Europe with Cyprus and Israel, extending through Israel to the Arabian Peninsula and beyond.
Grid Telecom utilises IPTO's extensive optical network in Greece and neighboring countries, integrating it with its own fiber links and Points-of-Presence to achieve network diversity, maximum security, and low latency. Meanwhile, Tamares Telecom owns and operates the Tamares-North, a high-capacity subsea fiber cable system linking Israel and Cyprus.
The Aluma Infrastructure Fund commented: "Tamares Telecom is continuously developing and extending its national and international infrastructure. Our collaboration with Grid Telecom and IPTO to acquire a state-of-the-art Cable Landing Station in Cyprus, in parallel with our collaboration to build and operate the Andromeda fiber cable system, will enhance security and add value to our reach in Europe and the Middle East."
"Our investments in new strategic projects provide multiple layers of infrastructure diversity, including the development of cable landing infrastructure and new optical fiber cable systems to meet market demands for high-quality data transport solutions through a telecommunications bridge between East and West."
Also Read: Islalink Inaugurates Ionian Transmission System Connecting Greece and Italy
IPTO added: "The strategic partnership between Grid Telecom and Tamares Telecom will create a combined landing and interconnection solution with cutting-edge connectivity and international reach. This will help new subsea fiber cable systems avoid costly and time-consuming permitting processes and landing infrastructure construction, acting as a catalyst for regional development."
"Furthermore, it will provide the ability to directly cross-connect with other cable systems, backhaul carriers, and digital platforms within the Cable Landing Station of Tamares Telecom Cyprus, creating a rich telecommunications ecosystem that will drive digital transformation in Cyprus and the broader Eastern Mediterranean region."
