In Short:
Airtel Business has partnered with Italian telecom provider Sparkle to secure more capacity on the Blue-Raman submarine cable system, linking India and Italy. This will enhance Airtel’s global network to meet rising data demand in India and nearby regions. Both companies will also seek new business opportunities while Google aids in developing the cable systems, expected to be operational by 2024.
New Agreement Between Airtel Business and Sparkle
Bharti Airtel’s enterprise division, Airtel Business, has entered into a significant agreement with Italian telecommunications provider Sparkle to enhance capacity on a low-latency submarine cable route connecting Asia and Europe. This partnership was announced on Thursday.
Details of the Agreement
Under the terms of the agreement, Airtel will acquire capacity from Sparkle on the Blue-Raman Submarine Cable Systems, which will establish a direct connection between India and Italy. This additional capacity will enable Airtel to further diversify its global network, thereby catering to the increasing demand for data services in India and its neighboring countries.
Future Collaborations
Both telecom organizations plan to explore new business opportunities and projects within India, drawing upon their respective cable infrastructures.
Background on the Submarine Cable Systems
The Blue and Raman cable systems are part of significant investments made by Google in subsea cables, which were announced in July 2021. Google is collaborating with Sparkle and additional partners to construct and operate these submarine cable systems, which link the Middle East with southern Europe and Asia. The Blue Submarine Cable System will connect Italy, France, Greece, and Israel, while the Raman Submarine Cable System will link Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Djibouti, Oman, and India.
Equipped with 16 fiber optic pairs, both systems are anticipated to be operational by 2024, as outlined in a Google Cloud blog post from July 2021.
Statements from Executives
“We are happy to partner with Sparkle as we further consolidate our leadership in global connectivity. This partnership will diversify our network with significant integrated capacities to meet the growing connectivity and data demands of our customers,” stated Vani Venkatesh, CEO of Airtel Business.
Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle, remarked, “We are very pleased with this agreement, which is based on the new solution provided by Blue & Raman, supporting the digital growth of the region and strengthening our long-standing partnership with Bharti Airtel.”
Airtel’s Global Infrastructure
Airtel Business boasts strategically located submarine cables, satellite networks, and a global network that spans over 400,000 Rkms across 50 countries and five continents. The company maintains over 1,200 global carrier partnerships.
