EAGLE

Overview

EAGLE is a planned submarine cable system that spans approximately 2,000 km, connecting Southern Europe and North Africa via the central Mediterranean and southern Adriatic regions. The cable links three strategic landing points: Lecce in Italy, Seman in Albania, and Sidi Kerir in Egypt. Owned jointly by 4iG Group, a Hungarian telecommunications company, and Telecom Egypt, Egypt’s state-owned telecom operator, EAGLE aims to enhance connectivity between these regions. With a Ready for Service (RFS) date set for 2028, the system is expected to play a significant role in regional telecommunications infrastructure.

Unlike many longer transcontinental systems, EAGLE’s relatively short length positions it as a focused regional link. Its inclusion of Albania as a landing point adds a unique dimension to its route, offering direct connectivity to a country that has historically had fewer submarine cable landings compared to its neighbors. This system is designed to serve as a critical intercontinental bridge between Europe and Africa.

Route and Landings

EAGLE’s route traverses the Mediterranean Sea and the Adriatic Sea, connecting three landing points. In Italy, the cable lands in Lecce, located in the Apulia region at the southeastern tip of the Italian peninsula. Lecce’s geographical position near the Adriatic Sea makes it an ideal terminus for regional connectivity. In Albania, the cable lands at Seman, a coastal area that provides the country with a direct link to both Italy and Egypt. This is particularly significant for Albania, as it expands the nation’s subsea connectivity options and integrates it further into the global telecommunications network.

In Egypt, the cable lands at Sidi Kerir, a prominent cable landing site situated west of Alexandria on the Mediterranean coast. Sidi Kerir is a well-established hub for submarine cables, serving as a gateway for systems connecting Europe, Africa, and Asia. The route’s design reflects strategic considerations, leveraging these landing points to optimize regional and intercontinental connectivity while minimizing the cable’s overall length.

Ownership and History

EAGLE is jointly owned by 4iG Group and Telecom Egypt. 4iG Group, headquartered in Budapest, Hungary, has been actively expanding its presence in international telecommunications infrastructure. The company’s involvement in EAGLE underscores its commitment to enhancing connectivity between Europe and neighboring regions. Telecom Egypt, the incumbent fixed-line operator in Egypt, is a major player in the submarine cable industry, frequently participating in systems that transit Egyptian waters due to the country’s strategic location at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, and Asia.

The collaboration between these two entities reflects a shared interest in developing regional connectivity. While EAGLE is a new project with a planned RFS date of 2028, it complements the existing cable infrastructure in the Mediterranean region. By incorporating Albania into its route, EAGLE introduces a distinctive element to the corridor, which has traditionally been dominated by systems connecting Egypt and Italy directly.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of EAGLE has tracked 94 measured corridors, revealing key performance metrics. The best recorded round-trip time (RTT) stands at 62 ms, while the average RTT across all measurements is 230 ms. These figures highlight the system’s potential for low-latency communication, particularly within its relatively compact footprint. The cable’s design and routing contribute to its efficiency, ensuring robust connectivity between its landing points.

The geographic positioning of EAGLE’s route plays a crucial role in its performance. The Mediterranean and Adriatic crossings are relatively short compared to transoceanic systems, which helps maintain lower latency. For Albania, this connection provides a significant upgrade to its international telecommunications infrastructure. For Italy and Egypt, EAGLE adds redundancy and diversity to existing routes, reinforcing their roles as key hubs in the global subsea cable network. These measurements affirm the cable’s strategic importance and its capacity to support growing regional data demands.