ALBA-1: A Caribbean Submarine Cable
ALBA-1 is a submarine telecommunications cable system connecting Venezuela, Jamaica, and Cuba. With a recorded length of 1,860 km, it is owned by Telecom Venezuela and Transbit and has been operational since 2012, according to GeoCables data. The cable was supplied by Alcatel-Lucent and is designed to support a capacity of 5.1 Tbps across two fiber pairs. Its landing points are
La Guaira (Venezuela),
Ocho Rios (Jamaica),
Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), and
Siboney (Cuba).
What makes ALBA-1 particularly noteworthy is its role in linking Cuba to international fiber-optic networks, reducing the country's dependence on satellite connectivity. However, public information about its technology, operational specifics, and latency performance remains limited, leaving some aspects of its implementation open to speculation.
Quick facts
| Name | ALBA-1 |
| Length | 1,860 km |
| Ready for Service | 2012 (GeoCables database; no conflicting sources surfaced) |
| Owners | Telecom Venezuela, Transbit |
| Status | In service |
| Design Capacity | 5.1 Tbps |
| Fiber Pairs | 2 |
| Supplier | Alcatel-Lucent |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing Points | La Guaira (Venezuela), Ocho Rios (Jamaica), Santiago de Cuba (Cuba), Siboney (Cuba) |
Route
ALBA-1 connects four landing points along its route: La Guaira in Venezuela, Ocho Rios in Jamaica, and two locations in Cuba-Santiago de Cuba and Siboney. La Guaira serves as the primary gateway for Venezuela, while Ocho Rios is a major landing site in Jamaica that also hosts other cables such as the
Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System (CJFS) and
Fibralink. The Cuban landing points, Santiago de Cuba and Siboney, are strategically positioned to enhance connectivity for the island nation.
Why it was built and what it carries
ALBA-1 was built to provide high-capacity fiber-optic connectivity between Venezuela, Jamaica, and Cuba. For Cuba, in particular, the cable was a significant development, as it offered an alternative to satellite-based internet, which was slower and more expensive. The cable supports internet, voice, and data services, facilitating improved communication and digital access in the region.
History: what can be established
According to GeoCables data, ALBA-1 became operational in 2012. No conflicting information about its ready-for-service date has been identified in industry sources. The cable was supplied by Alcatel-Lucent, a well-known provider of submarine cable systems. Its deployment marked a notable step in regional connectivity, particularly for Cuba, which had previously relied heavily on satellite links.
Capacity and technology
ALBA-1 is designed with a capacity of 5.1 Tbps distributed across two fiber pairs. However, details about the specific technology used, such as modulation formats or repeater configurations, are not publicly disclosed. Without operator documentation, it is not possible to comment on the cable’s exact technical specifications or its upgrade potential.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation latency over the 1,860 km wet segment of ALBA-1 is approximately 9.1 milliseconds, resulting in a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 18.2 milliseconds. Real-world latency measurements, however, are significantly higher due to additional factors such as terrestrial network routing, equipment processing delays, and internet congestion.
Live measurements from remote probes show varied RTT values depending on the endpoints:
- La Guaira -> Santiago de Cuba: min 158.3 ms, avg 163.4 ms
- Santiago de Cuba -> La Guaira: min 63.6 ms, avg 64.8 ms
- Singapore -> Ocho Rios: min 277.5 ms, avg 349.6 ms
- Sao Paulo -> Ocho Rios: min 129.0 ms, avg 132.1 ms
- Minsk -> Ocho Rios: min 157.0 ms, avg 157.5 ms
- Sao Paulo -> La Guaira: min 141.1 ms, avg 143.8 ms
These values reflect the full internet path rather than the cable itself, and the higher-than-expected latency suggests significant contributions from terrestrial segments and routing inefficiencies.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, redundancy for ALBA-1’s corridor would depend on alternative cables and satellite systems. At Ocho Rios, redundancy is available via the Cayman-Jamaica Fiber System (CJFS) and Fibralink. For Cuba, however, redundancy options are limited, as ALBA-1 remains the primary submarine cable serving the island. Repairing submarine cables typically involves specialized cable ships equipped with tools to locate and fix faults, a process that can take days or weeks depending on the nature of the damage and weather conditions.
Bottom line
- ALBA-1 connects Venezuela, Jamaica, and Cuba via a 1,860 km submarine cable system.
- Operational since 2012, it is owned by Telecom Venezuela and Transbit.
- Designed capacity is 5.1 Tbps across two fiber pairs, supplied by Alcatel-Lucent.
- Landing points include La Guaira, Ocho Rios, Santiago de Cuba, and Siboney.
- Latency measurements show significant variation, reflecting full internet path performance rather than cable physics.
- Redundancy options are limited, particularly for Cuba.