Telecom Egypt has expanded its Red Sea network by signing an agreement to build a new subsea cable linking Sharm El Sheikh with Taba.
As a result, the 200-kilometre cable will extend Telecom Egypt’s Red Sea Subsea Festoon Cable System to Taba, creating a continuous subsea route connecting Suez, Zafarana, Ras Ghareb, Sharm El Sheikh and Taba.
According to the company, the move is expected to have a design capacity of around five petabits per second and will use the latest fibre-optic technology to improve network performance, increase capacity and reduce signal loss.
The new link is also intended to provide a shorter and faster route between Sharm El Sheikh and Taba, while giving international carriers and network operators more options for routing traffic.
The system is expected to be ready for service in the fourth quarter of 2027.
Once completed, the extended Red Sea Subsea Festoon Cable System will add new landing points and another subsea route along Egypt’s Red Sea coast.
Meanwhile, Power Sub Link (PSL), which specialises in subsea installation and marine engineering, will carry out the cable project.
H.E Raafat Hendy, Minister of communications and Information Technology, said: “This agreement reflects Egypt’s continued efforts to strengthen its digital infrastructure and enhance the diversity and resilience of its international connectivity routes and reinforce Egypt’s pivotal role in global digital connectivity.
“The development of the new subsea cable further reinforces the role of Sinai as an important component of Egypt’s digital infrastructure by expanding its subsea and terrestrial infrastructure. The Ministry is committed to strengthening Egypt’s position as a global connectivity hub between East and West, and to continuing the development of its international digital infrastructure to support global data traffic and meet the growing demand for secure, efficient, and diverse international data transmission.”
Tamer El Mahdi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Telecom Egypt, added: “This project aligns with our new strategy, which aims to maximise the company’s role in digital infrastructure and strengthen its position regionally and internationally.
“The Sharm-Taba cable is another significant milestone in the development of Telecom Egypt’s international infrastructure, particularly its subsea infrastructure in Sinai, strengthening route diversity, resilience, and capacity. It advances a new eastern digital corridor connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean through the Sinai Peninsula, reinforcing our strategy of leveraging Egypt’s unique geographic position at the crossroads of three continents.
“These investments demonstrate Telecom Egypt’s continued commitment to supporting our international partners with secure, resilient, and high-capacity connectivity routes to meet the region’s growing data demand.”
Power Sub Link, Managing Director, Byron Skaftouros, concluded: “Together with Telecom Egypt, we are not simply delivering subsea infrastructure; we are helping shape the next generation of global connectivity. By developing a resilient Red Sea bypass, we reinforce Egypt’s position as a strategic gateway between continents, strengthen the security and continuity of international communications, and create new digital corridors of lasting global significance.
“This is more than connectivity. It is resilience, strategic relevance, and infrastructure built for the future.”
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