A new high-capacity cable system connecting Greece with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may be on the way after a recent agreement between the two countries.
Grid Telecom, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Independent Power Transmission Operator (IPTO) of Greece, and Dawiyat Integrated, a wholly owned subsidiary of Saudi Electricity Company (SEC), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for a strategic collaboration to build the cable.
The new, and presumably subsea, cable system will connect Saudi Arabia to the Island of Crete, extending westwards to major destinations in Europe and eastwards to the entire Arabian Peninsula.
Grid Telecom and Dawiyat Integrated suggest that the partnership will provide synergies for their participation in additional transformative projects that create long-term value, such as the development of hyperscale-ready data centres, providing gateways between continents.
Dawiyat Integrated is the leading neutral wholesale service provider in Saudi Arabia, with licenses to build and operate international cable systems and cable landing stations.
Grid Telecom is emerging as the prime wholesaler in the Greek market, exploiting IPTO’s extensive optical network in Greece and neighbouring countries, integrating this with its own fibre networks and points of presence, creating a new carrier neutral, open-access, connectivity hub in the Balkan – Mediterranean region.
Thus, we are told, the strategic partnership between Grid Telecom and Dawiyat Integrated will bring advanced data transport solutions to the market, creating a new telecommunications bridge between Europe and the Middle East. That said, a timetable for the new cable does not seem to have been announced yet.,
