Sparkle today announced the activation of the terrestrial section of the BlueMed cable, connecting Aqaba in Jordan to Sparkle's Mediterranean backbone, as well as direct service availability between Aqaba and Milan using BlueMed's new segments.
BlueMed Subsea System
BlueMed, a part of the Blue and Raman Submarine Cable Systems, is Sparkle's new cable that will connect Italy with France, Greece, and several countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, extending all the way to Aqaba in Jordan.
Also Read: Sparkle Starts Laying the BlueMed Subsea Cable in Genoa
BlueMed, with its four proprietary fibre pairs and a capacity of 25 Tbps per pair, is set to provide diverse and ultra-high-speed connectivity, increasing connectivity in the region.
Enhanced Connectivity
Sparkle stated, "With the activation of the Middle Eastern terrestrial section, Internet Service Providers (ISPs), carriers, telecom operators, content providers, enterprises and institutions can benefit from high-speed Internet connections and premium capacity solutions from Aqaba to Milan leveraging the two BlueMed segments already active and Sparkle's Mediterranean Backbone."
This activation of the terrestrial backbone from Aqaba follows the activation of the first section of BlueMed between Palermo, Genoa, and Milan, as reported by TelecomTalk in September.
Also Read: Sparkle Activates BlueMed Submarine Cable Linking Palermo With Genoa to Milan
Sparkle said this marks another step towards the completion of the BlueMed cable. By the end of 2023, the cable will see activations in Pomezia (Rome), Golfo Aranci (Sardinia), Bastia (Corsica), and Marseille. Additionally, in 2024, it will expand to other routes in the Mediterranean.
BlueMed lands in the carrier-neutral tier-3 data centre operated by Aqaba Digital Hub in Jordan, which has hosted Sparkle's Point of Presence (PoP) since 2019. The facility is already connected to Sparkle's international network and the Tier 1 global IP backbone, Seabone.
Also Read: Google Unveils Nuvem: Transatlantic Cable Linking Portugal, Bermuda, and US
The addition of BlueMed enhances internet connectivity in Jordan and neighbouring regions, solidifying Aqaba's position as a digital gateway in the Middle East.