EllaLink Wins Contract to Extend Cable Network to French Guiana
EllaLink has secured a contract from SPLANG—the Local Public Company for the Digital Development of Guyana—to extend its existing submarine cable network by 2,100 kilometers. Known as the EllaLink French Guiana extension, this project will mark the first trans‑Atlantic cable landing in the South American French territory.
Expanding Connectivity to Cayenne
According to the announcement, the new branch will land in Cayenne, French Guiana, and feature two fiber pairs. Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) will build the system, adding major bandwidth capacity to the region. While the companies have not yet set a timetable, the project is expected to advance regional digital transformation and connectivity.
Strengthened Digital Links Across the Atlantic
The original EllaLink cable system, completed between 2020 and 2021, spans 5,900 kilometers. It connects Fortaleza, Brazil, to Sines, Portugal, with branches through Cabo Verde, Madeira, and Morocco. This high‑capacity network delivers approximately 100 Tbps through four fiber pairs and plays a crucial role in linking Latin America with Europe.
SPLANG, a state‑owned infrastructure operator in French Guiana, will manage the new expansion. The project also includes financial support from the EU’s Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) initiative, a program designed to enhance trans‑European networks and digital cooperation.
Growing Cable Infrastructure in the Region
Once operational, the EllaLink French Guiana extension will become the first direct trans‑Atlantic cable to land in French Guiana. The region already hosts several undersea systems, including the long-standing Americas‑II cable and Kanawa, launched by Orange in 2019, which connects Kourou to Martinique.
Additionally, Digicel’s Deep Blue One—expected to launch later this year—will link Cayenne with Georgetown (Guyana), Paramaribo (Suriname), and Trinidad and Tobago.
Through these interconnected projects, French Guiana and its Caribbean neighbors continue to strengthen their digital networks, improving reliability and access to high-speed data infrastructure across the region.