Orange and SETAR have announced the construction of the CELIA-CETC (Caribbean ELIte Alliance - Caribbean European Territories Cable), a new high-capacity "express" fiber optic system in the Caribbean. This undersea cable will connect Aruba and Martinique to Florida (US), enhancing digital connectivity across the region as part of the broader CELIA cable system.
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Digital Connectivity Across the Caribbean
In a joint statement on Tuesday, Orange said, "The CELIA-CETC project receives subsidies from the CEF2 (Connecting Europe Facility 2) program to contribute to the digital connectivity of Aruba and the French territories in the Antilles-French Guiana region."
Project Scope and Timeline
Spanning 1,900 kilometers, the undersea cable will connect Le Lamentin (Martinique), Baby Beach (Aruba), and Boca Raton (Florida, USA). Scheduled to go live by Q3 2027, it will deliver a minimum of 22 terabits per second (Tbps) per fiber pair, with an initial capacity exceeding 44 Tbps.
Landing stations will be installed in Le Lamentin (Martinique) and Baby Beach (Aruba), with terminal station in Boca Raton, Florida (US). This project is sub-part of the CELIA cable system which includes other partners and landing sites.
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Addressing Connectivity Challenges
According to the official release, the project responds to the region’s connectivity needs, including the 2025 retirement of the Americas-II cable and Europe’s push for enhanced digital cooperation with neighbouring territories. It will provide high-speed, low-latency, and secure data transfer to meet increasing demand, supporting digital growth in Aruba and French Caribbean territories through 2050.
"In line with the ambitions of the EU and particularly those of its digital connectivity program, the analysis of the connectivity environment of the Caribbean zone has highlighted major challenges: the expected end of service of the Americas-II cable in 2025, the connectivity reinforcement of European territories, and the digital cooperation of the European Union with neighbouring territories. The CELIA CETC project intends to respond to these challenges, following the European requirements expected in terms of digital modernity, security, and autonomy," the statement added.
Stakeholder Support
Led by Orange and supported by partners SETAR NV, Telxius, and APUA, the initiative is partially funded by the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility 2 (CEF2) program.
"The CELIA Cable will benefit from the extensive experience of ASN as global supplier and of our subsidiary Orange Marine for the marine deployment," said the CEO of Orange Wholesale.
"For an island like Aruba, being connected to the global network helps us to be resilient, connect globally, drive education and private investments and to foster sustainable development for our island," added the CEO SETAR.
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Sustainability and Resilience
The project incorporates energy-efficient fiber optics and advanced cooling systems to reduce power consumption by 30 percent. The deployment will avoid sensitive ecosystems, with environmental studies conducted in partnership with NGOs and government authorities. The infrastructure is designed to withstand hurricanes and earthquakes, ensuring reliability, according to Orange.
