Latest news with #2AfricaPearls
Bahrain This Week
17-07-2025
- Business
- Bahrain This Week
stc successfully lands the first Bahraini submarine cable system; 2Africa Pearls in Bahrain
Marking a significant milestone in global connectivity, stc has announced that the 2Africa cable system – Pearls, the world's longest submarine cable, has successfully landed in Bahrain. With a US$ 205 million investments in 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system, this massive lift up in international connectivity toward 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 4th of June was witnessed by H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Telecommunications and Eng. 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. On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, 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 emphasized the Ministry's dedication to fostering fruitful 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. H.E. 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. Eng. Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of stc Bahrain said, 'We are thrilled to land the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable to Bahrain, this will increase Bahrain's current connectivity capacity by 10x, further scalable to accommodate future growth. This is in line with our commitment to advancing Bahrain's position as a leading communications and digital hub for the region, directly aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, and its goals for the ICT sector to create a diversified, knowledge-based economy.' 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 richer digital experience.
Daily Tribune
14-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Joins Digital Superhighway : Seef Becomes Tech Gateway
TDT | Manama • Cable lands near Seef • Connectivity capacity boosted tenfold • Supports Economic Vision 2030 Bahrain has officially joined the world's elite digital infrastructure network following the landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system near Seef District on June 4, marking a transformative leap in global connectivity and digital capacity for the Kingdom. Global Gateway With an investment of US$205 million, the arrival of the world's longest submarine cable places Bahrain at the centre of a digital superhighway stretching 45,000 kilometres. The cable's high-speed data capacity is set to reinforce Bahrain's position as a digital hub and significantly boost its potential to attract tech-driven investment, innovation, and high-skilled jobs. The cable landing ceremony was attended by His Excellency Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, and Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of stc Bahrain. Officials confirmed the ground connection process was completed in record time. Strategic Synergy Dr. Shaikh Abdullah highlighted the move as a key milestone in achieving Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030. He stressed the importance of public-private partnerships, describing the collaboration with stc Bahrain as a model for how national goals can be accelerated through joint ventures. 'This project marks a qualitative leap that strengthens Bahrain's global connectivity and supports its ambitions in the digital economy,' he said. Al Osaimi noted that the new system would multiply the country's existing connectivity by ten times. He said the move supports the Kingdom's economic diversification agenda and elevates its status as a regional leader in the ICT sector. Future-Proof Infrastructure The 2Africa Pearls cable system is designed to support a massive 180 terabits per second, making it the only submarine cable in the GCC capable of meeting surging demand from data-heavy platforms like cloud computing, online gaming, and content streaming. Its low latency and high bandwidth are also expected to accelerate the growth of emerging technologies such as 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT), while delivering more reliable internet performance to consumers and businesses alike. With this digital milestone, Bahrain is now positioned to serve as a crucial node in the global data exchange map.
Biz Bahrain
14-07-2025
- Business
- Biz Bahrain
Stc successfully lands the first Bahraini submarine cable system; 2Africa Pearls in Bahrain
Marking a significant milestone in global connectivity, stc has announced that the 2Africa cable system – Pearls, the world's longest submarine cable, has successfully landed in Bahrain. With a US$ 205 million investments in 2Africa Pearls submarine cable system, this massive lift up in international connectivity toward 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 4th of June was witnessed by H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications and Telecommunications and Eng. 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. On this occasion, H.E. Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, 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 emphasized the Ministry's dedication to fostering fruitful 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. H.E. 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. Eng. Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of stc Bahrain said, 'We are thrilled to land the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable to Bahrain, this will increase Bahrain's current connectivity capacity by 10x, further scalable to accommodate future growth. This is in line with our commitment to advancing Bahrain's position as a leading communications and digital hub for the region, directly aligning with Bahrain's Economic Vision 2030, and its goals for the ICT sector to create a diversified, knowledge-based economy.' 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 richer digital experience.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Meta says it plans to build the world's longest undersea internet cable
Facebook's parent company Meta said it's working on the world's longest undersea cable as part of the social media giant's efforts to connect more people to high-speed internet. Called Project Waterworth, the massive cable spanning more than 50,000 kilometers will bring "industry-leading connectivity" to the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other regions, Meta said. "This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions," Meta said in a blog post on Feb. 14. Meta expects the multibillion-dollar project will be completed toward the end of the decade, but didn't provide a specific year or estimates of how much it will cost. Tech leaders including Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have been investing heavily in undersea cables for years as a way to provide more affordable and reliable internet across the globe. As more people connect to the internet to chat and stream videos, these investments also allow tech companies to attract more users to their services. An estimated 95% of global internet traffic travels through subsea cables, making them the backbone of the internet, according to a 2024 report from the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership. Like other major tech firms, the social network has been ramping up efforts to build more artificial intelligence-powered tools that can generate text, images and other content. Meta said in its blog post that its 24 fiber pair cable project "can help ensure that the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of where they live or work." The company said it has developed more than 20 subsea cables with partners over the last decade. Some of Meta's undersea cables have included 2Africa Pearls, connecting Africa, Europe and Asia, and Marea, connecting the United States with Spain. More than 3 billion people use one of Meta's apps daily, which include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The expansion of undersea cables to provide internet and telecommunications has also heightened concerns that the infrastructure will be targeted during geopolitical conflicts. Last year, underwater cables in the Red Sea, lying between Africa and Asia, were cut and disrupted internet service. It was unclear how the cables were damaged and Yemen's Houthi rebels denied attacking the lines to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in Gaza, the Associated Press reported. Meta's latest investments also come as its Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg tries to mend a strained relationship with President Trump, who he's previously sparred with over immigration issues and content moderation. This year, Meta ended its third-party fact-checking program, relying instead on users to write notes under misleading posts, and rolled back DEI efforts that Trump has criticized. Zuckerberg also praised Trump in Meta's quarterly earnings call in January, noting that his administration "prioritizes American technology winning" and has visited the president at the White House. Last week, the White House mentioned Meta's undersea cable project in a joint statement from President Trump and India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi about how the two countries are working together. Meta's project, the statement said, would "strengthen global digital highways" in the Indian Ocean and India plans to invest in the maintenance, repair and financing of these undersea cables. Sign up for our Wide Shot newsletter to get the latest entertainment business news, analysis and insights. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
18-02-2025
- Business
- Los Angeles Times
Meta says it plans to build the world's longest undersea internet cable
Facebook's parent company Meta said it's working on the world's longest undersea cable as part of the social media giant's efforts to connect more people to high-speed internet. Called Project Waterworth, the massive cable spanning more than 50,000 kilometers will bring 'industry-leading connectivity' to the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other regions, Meta said. 'This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions,' Meta said in a blog post on Feb. 14. Meta expects the multi-billion dollar project will be completed toward the end of the decade, but didn't provide a specific year or estimates of how much it will cost. Tech leaders including Meta, Google, Amazon and Microsoft have been investing heavily in undersea cables for years as a way to provide more affordable and reliable internet across the globe. As more people connect to the internet to chat and stream videos, these investments also allow tech companies to attract more users to their services. An estimated 95% of global internet traffic travels through subsea cables, making them the backbone of the internet, according to a 2024 report from the Global Digital Inclusion Partnership. Like other major tech firms, the social network has been ramping up efforts to build more artificial intelligence-powered tools that can generate text, images and other content. Meta said in its blog post that its 24 fiber pair cable project 'can help ensure that the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of where they live or work.' The company said it has developed more than 20 subsea cables with partners over the last decade. Some of Meta's undersea cables have included 2Africa Pearls, connecting Africa, Europe and Asia, and Marea, connecting the United States with Spain. More than 3 billion people use one of Meta's apps daily, which include Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. The expansion of undersea cables to provide internet and telecommunications has also heightened concerns that the infrastructure will be targeted during geopolitical conflicts. Last year, underwater cables in the Red Sea, lying between Africa and Asia, were cut and disrupted internet service. It was unclear how the cables were damaged and Yemen's Houthi rebels denied attacking the lines to pressure Israel to end its war on Hamas in Gaza, the Associated Press reported. Meta's latest investments also comes as its Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg tries to mend a strained relationship with President Trump, who he's previously sparred with over immigration issues and content moderation. This year, Meta ended its third-party fact-checking program, relying instead on users to write notes under misleading posts, and rolled back DEI efforts that Trump has criticized. Zuckerberg also praised Trump in its quarterly earnings call in January, noting that his administration 'prioritizes American technology winning' and has visited the president at the White House. Last week, the White House mentioned Meta's undersea cable project in a joint statement from President Trump and India's Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi about how the two countries are working together. Meta's project, the statement said, would 'strengthen global digital highways' in the Indian Ocean and India plans to invest in the maintenance, repair and financing of these undersea cables.
