Alonso de Ojeda

Overview

The Alonso de Ojeda submarine cable is a regional telecommunications system that spans 122 kilometers across the southern Caribbean Sea, connecting the islands of Aruba and Curaçao. Named after the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda, the cable provides a critical undersea link between these two Dutch Caribbean territories. It was commissioned in 1999 and remains an essential component of the region's digital infrastructure. The cable is jointly owned by Setar and United Telecommunication Services (UTS), the primary telecommunications providers in Aruba and Curaçao, respectively. Its establishment marked a significant step in fostering direct communication and collaboration between the two islands.

As one of the earlier submarine cable systems in this part of the Caribbean, Alonso de Ojeda plays a vital role in supporting the telecommunications needs of both islands. The cable enhances connectivity for local residents, businesses and institutions, enabling faster and more reliable communication without dependence on longer, more complex regional or international cable systems.

Route and Landings

The Alonso de Ojeda cable system connects Baby Beach in Aruba to Willemstad in Curaçao. Baby Beach, located on the southeastern tip of Aruba, is a well-known landmark and a logical choice for a cable landing due to its accessibility and proximity to infrastructure. On the other end, Willemstad, the capital city of Curaçao, serves as the landing point. Willemstad is not only the island's economic and administrative hub but also a key node for telecommunications in the region.

The route of the cable crosses the relatively shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea between the two islands, a distance of just 122 kilometers. This short span simplifies maintenance and reduces latency compared to longer cables that traverse multiple countries or regions. By directly connecting the two islands, the cable bypasses the need for routing communications through external networks, thereby improving efficiency and reliability for users on both sides of the connection.

Ownership and History

The Alonso de Ojeda cable is jointly owned by Setar and United Telecommunication Services (UTS), the respective incumbent telecommunications operators of Aruba and Curaçao. This partnership underscores the collaborative effort between the two territories to enhance their connectivity. Setar and UTS have played pivotal roles in the development and maintenance of telecommunications infrastructure in the Dutch Caribbean, and their joint ownership of the cable reflects their shared commitment to regional integration.

Commissioned in 1999, Alonso de Ojeda was among the first submarine cables to serve the Aruba-Curaçao corridor. Its launch coincided with the deployment of other regional systems, such as the Amerigo Vespucci cable, which also became operational that year. Over the subsequent decades, additional cables like EC Link, Jerry Newton, and ARCOS have expanded the connectivity options for these islands, but Alonso de Ojeda remains a foundational element of the region's telecommunications landscape.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of the Alonso de Ojeda cable system has provided valuable insights into its operational performance. Across 45 measured corridors, the cable has demonstrated a best round-trip time (RTT) of 84 milliseconds and an average RTT of 148 milliseconds. These figures reflect the cable's efficiency in facilitating data transmission between Aruba and Curaçao, especially given its relatively short length.

The cable's performance metrics highlight its role in ensuring low-latency communication between the two islands. This is particularly important for applications requiring real-time data exchange, such as financial transactions, voice communication, and internet services. The reliable performance of Alonso de Ojeda underscores its continued relevance as a critical link in the regional telecommunications network, even as newer systems are introduced to serve the Dutch Caribbean.