Contract signed for new internet speeds between Europe and Latin America

The "irrevocable right of use contract" (IRU) has been signed for the commissioning of a new optical submarine cable between Brazil and Portugal, to strengthen the Internet connection and data traffic between Europe and Latin America. EllaLink will be implemented as part of the BELLA (Building European Link to Latin America) project by a consortium comprising the FCT - Foundation for Science and Technologythrough its National Scientific Computing Unitthe entity that manages the RCTS (Science, Technology and Society Network).

The cable, almost 10,000 km long, will enable data transmission speeds of 100Gbs/second (much higher than the current 10Gbs/second), meeting the transatlantic sharing and collaboration needs of the research and teaching communities in Europe and Latin America over the next 25 years, in areas such as astronomy, particle physics and Earth observation. EllaLink should be operational by the end of 2020, and Portugal will act as the terminus of the submarine system in Europe.

The GÉANT network - Europe's leading association of electronic infrastructures and services for research and education, of which FCT is a member - has been connected to RedCLARA - Latin America's academic network - since 2003. However, there is no submarine cable capable of supporting the data transmission needs of research and education between Europe and Latin America. With EllaLink, traffic will flow directly between the two continents, improving data protection and optimizing the cost/benefit of connectivity.

Having an intercontinental submarine cable spectrum between Europe and Latin America that can be deployed and upgraded according to the high connectivity requirements for research and education is a completely new model for international connections, which provides the flexibility and cost-effectiveness needed to meet users' needs. "I am delighted to see the culmination of work with our colleagues in the BELLA Consortium, reflected in the signing of the BELLA contract with EllaLink," says Erik Huizer, CEO of GÉANT. "It will be exciting to see the deployment of a submarine cable up close, and we look forward to seeing the exchange between GÉANT and RedCLARA made via a direct physical path between the two continents for the first time in 2020," he concludes.

Luis Eliécer Cadenas, Executive Director of RedCLARA and Co-Chair of the BELLA Consortium, points out that "This milestone is a fundamental achievement for the Latin American research and education community. We are opening up a direct channel of collaboration with Europe, guaranteeing security and quality of service for the varied scientific and teaching applications we hope to offer. RedCLARA is committed to building a data communication infrastructure for research and education that will foster regional development. The BELLA submarine cable is the first step towards this goal."