EllaLink Firms Up Cabo Verde Telecom Deal

Cabo Verde Telecom and EllaLink have signed the agreement to deliver connectivity from Europe and Latin America to Cabo Verde via the EllaLink Submarine Cable System.

The alliance with Cabo Verde Telecom, alongside existing agreements and support from EllaLink’s equity sponsor Marguerite II, will enable start of implementation activities for the project.

The EllaLink system, due to be operational in 2020, is a state-of-the-art 4 fiber pair submarine cable designed to satisfy the demand for traffic between Europe and Latin America.

Jose Luis Livramento, the CEO of CVT, said: “Adding “EllaLink has worked hand in hand with CVTelecom over the last two years to ensure Cabo Verde will benefit from this unique opportunity to secure and grow its highly competitive international connectivity. Investing in the EllaLink system will position Cabo Verde as a leader in the digital transformation of the region.”

Alfonso Gajate chairman of the EllaLink Board, stated: “This agreement with Cabo Verde Telecom is fundamental to the project allowing us to move ahead and start to build the EllaLink submarine cable system. CVTelecom’s $25M investment in EllaLink marks an important strategic decision for the country which will aid the development of its social and economic vision. Connecting Cabo Verde to Europe and Latin America with an initial capacity of 200Gbps will enable CVTelecom to create an Information Technology platform in the Atlantic. We are delighted to have confirmed our partnership with CVTelecom today and look forward to continuing to work together on the implementation of EllaLink.”

With this new connectivity to Praia, the Cabo Verde islands will have enhanced diversity and resilience within their telecoms infrastructure, as well as access to capacity that will contribute to the fast-paced internet and 5G data growth in the region. Alongside Praia, the landing sites in Fortaleza (Brazil), Praia Grande (Brazil) and Sines (Portugal) have been secured.