Egypt has successfully completed the landing of two new subsea internet cables—part of the Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE-6) cable system—marking a major milestone in the country’s digital infrastructure ambitions. This advancement increases Egypt’s international data capacity to an impressive 126 terabits per second and further solidifies its position as a strategic internet gateway connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The landings occurred at Port Said on the Mediterranean coast and Ras Ghareb along the Red Sea. Led by Telecom Egypt in partnership with SubCom, the operation included the development of two diverse terrestrial pathways, enhancing the system’s resilience by securely linking the Mediterranean and Red Sea segments of the cable. This redundancy is critical in a region that handles a significant portion of the world’s internet traffic.

The SEA-ME-WE-6 project spans 21,700 kilometres and connects 17 strategic landing points across three continents. Once operational in early 2026, it will utilise cutting-edge Space Division Multiplexing (SDM) technology to deliver ultra-high-speed connectivity. The system is being developed by a consortium of 16 global telecom operators, including Telecom Egypt, Microsoft, Orange, Singtel, and Bharti Airtel.

Designed to meet escalating demand for bandwidth and low-latency communication, the SEA-ME-WE-6 cable provides essential capacity upgrades while offering critical route diversity. This mitigates risks posed by natural disasters, accidental damage, or geopolitical disruptions—a concern underscored by incidents such as the 2024 West African cable outage.

Egypt’s advantageous geographic positioning—bordered by 995 km of Mediterranean coastline and 1,941 km along the Red Sea—makes it a vital intercontinental data corridor. The country already hosts 10 cable landing stations and supports 15 active submarine cables, with several more underway. Launched in 2023, Telecom Egypt’s WeConnect ecosystem enables seamless cross-connection across these systems, offering operators flexibility, scalability, and fault-tolerant infrastructure.

Beyond connectivity, the landing of these new cables represents a significant economic and strategic boost. By enabling faster, more reliable internet access, Egypt is better positioned to support digital transformation efforts, attract foreign investment, and fuel regional innovation. The development complements the country’s broader vision to establish itself as a regional digital hub—a strategy also supported by previous projects like the 2Africa cable, which landed in Egypt in 2023.

Mohamed Nasr, Managing Director and CEO of Telecom Egypt, hailed the achievement as a transformative step for the region. “The successful landing of the SEA-ME-WE-6 cables reflects our unwavering commitment to building a future-ready, resilient digital infrastructure. It’s a pivotal moment in our journey to strengthen Egypt’s global reach and enable seamless connectivity for millions across three continents.”

As global demand for data continues to grow, Egypt’s expanding subsea infrastructure is positioning it not only as a conduit for international traffic, but also as a cornerstone of Africa’s and the Middle East’s digital economies.