Saudi Arabian telecom company Mobily has teamed up with Telecom Egypt to establish a submarine cable across the Red Sea. This new cable is set to enhance connectivity between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, addressing the rising demand for internet services in both regions. The cable will have landing points in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, and Duba, Saudi Arabia, enabling connections between the Arabian Gulf and Egypt with broader international networks.
Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al-Badran, CEO of Mobily, expressed that “the new cable represents a significant milestone in strengthening Saudi Arabia’s position as a leading international hub for telecommunications services and data traffic.” This development aligns with the ambitions of the Saudi Vision 2030, which seeks to diversify the country’s economy and promote advanced infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Telecom Egypt plans to extend the infrastructure by connecting Sharm El Sheikh to the Mediterranean Sea through additional crossing routes. Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and CEO at Telecom Egypt, emphasized their commitment to advancing global telecommunications infrastructure, highlighting that this project would expand the geographical diversity of subsea cable networks.
While the project seems poised to boost connectivity, concerns linger over the security of the region. Last year’s Red Sea crisis, characterized by paramilitary activity from Yemeni Houthi forces, caused severe disruptions to data traffic between Europe, Africa, and Asia due to damaged submarine cables. It remains uncertain whether the damage was intentional, sparking debate over the potential risks associated with the region’s geopolitical instability.
Network service provider RETN reported that the impact on Europe-Asia data traffic was underestimated, with up to 70% being affected—substantially more than the initially assumed 25%. This revelation underscores the critical importance of reliable infrastructure and raises questions about the resilience of subsea cables amidst regional tensions.
