Agreement signed that will enable new Internet speeds between Europe and Latin America

An "irrevocable right of use" (IRU) contract has been signed for the commissioning of a new submarine optical cable between Brazil and Portugal, to strengthen Internet connectivity 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 that includes the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology, through its National Scientific Computing Unit, the entity that manages the RCTS (Science, Technology and Society Network).

The cable, which is almost 10,000 km long, will enable data transmission speeds of 100 Gbps (much higher than the current 10 Gbps), meeting the transatlantic sharing and collaboration needs of the research and education communities in Europe and Latin America for the next 25 years, in areas such as astronomy, particle physics, and Earth observation. EllaLink is expected to be operational by the end of 2020, and Portugal will serve as the termination point for the submarine system in Europe.

The GÉANT network —the leading European association of electronic infrastructure and services for research and education, of which FCT is a member—has been connected to RedCLARA —the Latin American academic network—since 2003. However, there is no submarine cable capable of supporting the research and education data transmission needs 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 a spectrum of an intercontinental submarine cable between Europe and Latin America that can be deployed and upgraded in line with the high connectivity requirements for research and education is a completely new model for international connections, providing the flexibility and cost-effectiveness needed to meet user needs. "I am very happy to see the culmination of the work with our colleagues from 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 by 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, emphasizes that “This milestone is a fundamental achievement for the research and education community in Latin America. We are opening a direct channel of collaboration with Europe, ensuring security and quality of service for the various scientific and educational 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 toward that goal."