---
title: Medusa cable promises cross-Mediterranean connectivity boost - Developing Telecoms
description: Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), Elettra, a specialist in marine works related to optical submarine cable systems, submarine infrastructure operator Medusa and operator Orange have announced the coming into force of the construction contract for the Medusa Submarine Cable System, an ambitious project that will boost connectivity across the Mediterranean.
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date: 2023-07-04T13:57:27Z
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Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN), Elettra, a specialist in marine works related to optical submarine cable systems, submarine infrastructure operator Medusa and operator Orange have announced the coming into force of the construction contract for the Medusa Submarine Cable System, an ambitious project that will boost connectivity across the Mediterranean.

Medusa is a private, independent and neutral submarine infrastructure operator in the Mediterranean region, managed by ISP AFR-IX Telecom. It will establish crucial connections between Morocco, Portugal, Spain, France, Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, Greece, Cyprus and Egypt.

When complete, Medusa will span a distance of over 8,700 kilometres, making it the longest cable in the Mediterranean Sea and providing enhanced North-South and East-West connectivity.

The construction work has been awarded to ASN and Elettra. The Medusa system is built on state-of-the-art 24-pair fibre optic Open Cable technology to meet increasing broadband requirements in the region, with 20Tb/s minimum capacity per fibre pair.

Elettra will engage survey operations, while equipment manufacturing and installation are planned to span over 2024 and 2025. Orange will provide landing infrastructures in France, Tunisia and Morocco. Medusa is expected to be in service by the fourth quarter of 2025.

The construction of Medusa is funded by AFR-IX Telecom, Orange and the European Union though CEF (Connecting Europe Facilities) grants.

Medusa is not a new concept. [We reported over a year ago](https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks/13025-telecom-egypt-and-afr-ix-telecom-sign-cable-deal-at-mwc.html) that MWC 2022 saw the signing of an agreement between Telecom Egypt (TE) and AFR-IX Telecom regarding the construction of a landing station in Egypt for the Medusa submarine cable system.

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