FCT and EMACOM protocol for the use of submarine optical fiber

The Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and EMACOM - Telecomunicações da Madeira, owned by Empresa de Eletricidade da Madeira, signed a cooperation protocol this Monday (May 23) that aims to promote the use of fiber optics for research purposes, namely in the areas of seismology, volcanology, marine ecology and ocean conditions.

The agreement is the first step towards the materialization of GEOLab, an initiative aimed at the research community, which also includes the participation of the Ellalink Group, which owns the submarine system that connects Europe to Latin America and has a dedicated fibre optic pair between Funchal and Sines, and GEANT, the main European network for research and education.

Through this protocol, EMACOM undertakes to cede the rights to use optical fiber for all the equipment to support the scientific experiments to be carried out under the project and its connection to RCTS - Science, Technology and Society Network, whose management and operation will be the responsibility of FCT, through its National Scientific Computing Unit (FCCN).

FCT also adds to this responsibility the commitment to ensure access to GEOLab by the research and teaching community, in a partnership that aims to take advantage of the human and technological potential, by sharing technological resources in the areas of research and connectivity, namely through the use of a submarine cable system.

Under the protocol, the FCT will be responsible for taking steps to activate a new RCTS Point of Presence (PoP) at the CLS (Cable Landing Station) in Funchal and reinforcing the Penteada PoP, located on the premises of the University of Madeira, in order to ensure connectivity to the global internet through the GEOLab Science, Technology and Society Network (RCTS).

EMACOM - Telecomunicações da Madeira owns a fiber optic pair between Madeira and mainland Portugal, in the EllaLink system, which consists of a 6,000 km long low latency submarine cable that connects Brazil to Europe, with points of presence in Portugal (Sines and Lisbon), Spain and France. EMACOM also has an optical fiber in the Ellalink system, about 56 km long, which runs from the Madeira landing station and is a resource of great interest to the research and teaching community, in activities related to earth observation, particularly seabed movements.