A fund of Euro 100,000 has been allotted to carry out a feasibility study on a new submarine fiber optic cable that will connect Malta with the European mainland.
Parliamentary secretary Jose Herrera today launched a feasibility study that aims to investigate the possibility of a new submarine fiber optic cable between Malta and the European mainland.
Currently, there is one submarine fiber cable that connects Malta and Sicily. The study will be carried out through the €100,000 of European Union funds. A tender for entities interested in carrying out the study has been released.
The study seeks to analyze a number of submarine configurations and topologies, including a number of landing points and cable routes, as well as verifying the financial viability of introducing a new cable.
Once the options have been analyzed, the study is expected to yield recommendations for sources of funding and which model would be the best commercially and financially viable solution.
The purpose of this project is to improve the adaptability and quality of modern telecommunications connections in Malta. Modern economies are dependant on high-quality bandwidth and global connectivity. Malta’s success in the ICT and e-gaming sectors is mainly due to factors such as high-quality communication networks. Moreover, high-speed broadband is becoming more like an essential utility.
As an island, Malta needs to enhance its competitiveness in the information sector and this initiative is crucial for the country’s digital future as a hub for the services industry.
This study is part of the national digital strategy, launched in March 2014, and was included in last year’s budget. The study is expected to yield results by the end of this year.
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