LEBANON - Lebanon has begun laying a new 250-kilometre undersea internet cable connecting the country to Cyprus, in a move aimed at increasing international connectivity capacity and improving internet reliability.
The new cable is expected to provide approximately 24 times the capacity of the existing cable, which entered service in 1995. It also marks the first undersea cable connection to Lebanon since 2010.
Cyprus Funds the Project
Cyprus is financing the project, which is expected to enter service following the completion of installation works and technical testing.
The new infrastructure is intended to strengthen Lebanon's international telecommunications links, reduce service disruptions and improve overall internet quality by providing additional capacity for international data traffic.
The project comes as Lebanon continues to face challenges related to its telecommunications infrastructure, including service interruptions and limitations in network capacity.
Domestic Infrastructure Remains Key
While the new cable is expected to improve the stability and capacity of Lebanon's international internet connection, its impact on internet speeds experienced by subscribers will also depend on upgrades to domestic telecommunications networks.
The undersea cable will expand the country's capacity to exchange data internationally, but improvements in end-user speeds will require corresponding development of the infrastructure that carries internet traffic from international connections to households and businesses.
The completion of the project and its subsequent technical assessments will determine when the new connection becomes operational.
