08 December 2021

Telecom Egypt (TE) has partnered with US firm Ciena to maximise capacity along the Mediterranean segment of its Middle East North Africa (MENA) submarine cable system and the country’s mesh network.

The latter’s WaveLogic 5 Extreme gives TE the highest capacity per wavelength, which significantly reduces the cost per bit and provides the best-in-class spectral efficiency, highest bit rate per wavelength, space utilisation efficiency and power efficiency. The operator also utilises Ciena’s manage, control and plan (MCP) next-generation domain controller that unifies network and service management - even across third party wet plants - to automate the submarine network’s operations.

“Submarine cables are critical infrastructure that underpin and power the connectivity needs of today’s global internet user base,” said Jamie Jefferies, vice president and general manager, international, Ciena. “In addition, the adoption of MCP also supports a network that is intelligent, automated, and simpler to manage.”

The MENA Submarine Cable is an 8,800km system that connects Italy, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and India and serves as a vital piece of infrastructure that transmits international traffic. Mena Cable, through the new technology, offers TE’s mesh network a new gateway to Europe through Italy, in addition to the current one in Marseille, France. TE’s next-generation optical mesh network is a system that spans the Mediterranean Sea, crosses Egypt, and extends to Singapore, integrating terrestrial and subsea cables.

Maryland-headquartered Ciena, which has a long history of working in Africa, has been described in the media as the “worlds’ biggest player in optical connectivity”.