stc Bahrain successfully lands first Bahraini submarine cable system; 2Africa Pearls
Manama, July 13 (BNA): stc Bahrain has announced that the 2Africa cable system - Pearls, the world’s longest submarine cable, has successfully landed in Bahrain, marking a significant milestone in global connectivity.
With a US$ 205 million investments in 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system, this massive lift up in international connectivity towards Bahrain will reinforce the Kingdom as a powerful ICT hub, speeding up digital transformation across connected countries, attracting significant international investment opportunities, creating jobs and boosting innovation across sectors.
The live landing of 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system next to Seef District on June 4 was witnessed by Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Telecommunications and Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer, stc Bahrain. The landing operation, which involved connecting the on-board cable to the ground infrastructure, was completed in record time.
Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed expressed pride in Bahrain’s advanced telecommunications infrastructure, noting that this achievement reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its position as a regional and global digital hub, in line with the goals of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. He emphasised the Ministry’s dedication to enhancing partnerships with the private sector, especially the strategic collaboration with stc Bahrain, which stands as a successful model of public-private synergy in advancing digital transformation.
Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed added that the landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable in Bahrain represents a qualitative leap that will enhance the Kingdom’s global connectivity, support its digital economy, and open new horizons for innovation and investment.
Al Osaimi expressed enthusiasm about bringing the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable to Bahrain, noting that it will boost the country’s current connectivity capacity tenfold, with the potential for further expansion to support future growth. He emphasised that this initiative reflects their dedication to strengthening Bahrain’s role as a regional leader in communications and digital innovation, fully supporting the objectives of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and its aim to foster a diversified, knowledge-based economy through the development of the ICT sector.
Spanning 45,000 km with a massive 180 terabits per second design capacity, the 2Africa submarine cable will enable faster adoption of new technologies and digital solutions. 2Africa Pearls is the only cable in GCC capable of meeting the growing demands of data-heavy applications, including content streaming, cloud computing, and gaming.
With the landing of 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system, the cable's massive capacity and low latency will serve as a catalyst for innovation and growth in emerging technologies like 5G, AI, and IoT, providing the essential infrastructure needed to support data-intensive applications and services. The increased connectivity will empower businesses with improved communication, access to global markets, and enhanced operational efficiency. Moreover, for consumers, this transformative project will provide reliable internet services and a richer digital experience.
