EllaLink Construction Kicks Off

EllaLink and Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) have started construction of the EllaLink Submarine Cable System.

Scheduled for operation in 2020, the EllaLink System is a 4 fiber pair submarine system designed to satisfy the demand for traffic between Europe and Latin America.

Linking Data Centers in Madrid, Lisbon, Marseille, Fortaleza and São Paulo, EllalLink will provide express subsea connectivity, and offer the first ever direct fiber pair between the two continents.

“Since the initial idea in 2010, interest in the route has grown significantly. Together with our financial sponsor Marguerite II and key anchor tenants the EllaLink team has worked alongside ASN to design a high capacity system on the most optimum marine route. Many people have contributed towards making this system real, my sincere thanks go to each of them,” noted Alfonso Gajate chairman of the EllaLink board. “As implementation activities commence EllaLink will continue to focus on its primary objective of providing leading products and services on a Carrier Neutral and Open Access basis.”

Philippe Piron, president and CEO of Alcatel Submarine Networks, said: “The start of the construction of the EllaLink system is a significant achievement in the expansion of the submarine infrastructure between Latin America and Europe. Once deployed, it will contribute to enhance trans-continental connectivity, for the benefit of the global consumer and business communities between the two continents.”

Laurent Chatelin, managing director of Marguerite, added: “EllaLink is the perfect fit for Marguerite’s infrastructure investment strategy. We see tremendous long-term growth across the telecommunications industry and EllaLink represents an important first step for Marguerite into the subsea cable market. Working with the EllaLink team and Beca to reach CIF has been a great achievement and we are looking forward to supporting the development and build of the system.“