10 September 2021

State-owned operator Hatif Libya, a subsidiary of the Libyan Telecommunication Holding Company (LPTIC), has inked a deal to improve its fibre-optic network with US-based company Infinera.

Under the terms of the deal, the multi-million US$ project will provide access to the internet and mobile services in areas not reached previously by the network and improve the quality and reliability of services for all customers.

“The project leverages universal switching and transport capabilities, enabling the national network to dynamically switch traffic over diverse paths to ensure the continuation of services in the case of interruptions caused by physical damage to cables or power outages,” said the releases. “To do this, Infinera will deploy Automatically Switched Optical Network (ASON) technology.”

The need for secure digital transport capacities has increased with the rapid development of the telecommunications sector in Libya and the growing demand for mobile phone services, internet, and digital transformation, it said.

On completion, the LPTIC said the network will deliver capacities and cyber protection for 60 sites throughout the north African territory using advanced optical equipment and technologies to reach an operational capacity of 600 GB on the coastal strip and 200 GB in the southern region. This can be expanded and developed to reach nine terabytes.