Italy-Albania: A regional submarine cable linking Bari and Durres
The Italy-Albania submarine cable is a 240-kilometer fiber-optic system connecting Bari, Italy, with Durres, Albania. Operational since 1997, it serves as a direct telecommunications link between the two countries. Owned jointly by ALBtelecom and Sparkle, the cable is listed as in service, but public information about its design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology is not disclosed.
What makes this cable noteworthy is its role in connecting Albania to Italy, facilitating international connectivity for Albania. However, there are uncertainties surrounding its technical specifications and the exact history of its commissioning. Additionally, latency measurements from remote probes reveal artifacts that underscore the challenges of accurately assessing submarine cable performance via internet-based tools.
Quick facts
| Name | Italy-Albania |
| Length | 240 km |
| Ready-for-service year | 1997 (GeoCables database; no alternative dates surfaced) |
| Owners | ALBtelecom, Sparkle |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Bari (Italy); Durres (Albania) |
| Other cables at Bari | Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), Jonah, OTEGLOBE Kokkini-Bari |
| Other cables at Durres | Adria-1 |
🗺 Show Italy-Albania on the interactive cable map
Route
The Italy-Albania cable links Bari, a major port city in southern Italy, with Durres, the largest port city in Albania. Bari is a hub for several other submarine cables, including Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), Jonah, and OTEGLOBE Kokkini-Bari, making it a strategic landing point for international connectivity. Durres, on the Albanian side, is similarly connected to the Adria-1 cable, which provides additional regional links.
The cable's 240-kilometer route crosses the Adriatic Sea, a relatively shallow body of water, which simplifies cable laying and maintenance compared to deeper oceanic systems.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Italy-Albania cable was constructed to provide direct telecommunications connectivity between Albania and Italy, enhancing Albania's access to international networks. It likely supports internet, voice, and data traffic, although specific details about its capacity and usage are not publicly disclosed. Given the ownership by ALBtelecom and Sparkle, the cable is likely integral to their regional and international service offerings.
History: what can be established
The GeoCables database records the Italy-Albania cable as having been ready for service in 1997. No alternative commissioning dates have surfaced in industry sources, suggesting this date is accurate. However, detailed accounts of its construction, deployment, and initial operations are not readily available in public sources.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available data does not disclose the design capacity, number of fiber pairs, supplier, or technology used in the Italy-Albania cable. Without operator documentation, attributing specific values or features would be speculative. It is likely that the cable has been upgraded over time to accommodate increasing demand, as is common in the industry, but no specific records confirm this.
Latency: the physics
The computed one-way light propagation latency over the cable's 240-kilometer length is approximately 1.2 milliseconds, with a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 2.4 milliseconds. However, real-world latency is higher due to land-based segments, terminal equipment, and routing.
Remote probe measurements of the full internet path between Bari and Durres show an average RTT of 21.6 milliseconds, with a minimum of 0.8 milliseconds. This minimum value is below the physical floor of 2.4 milliseconds and is a measurement artifact caused by rate-limited ICMP replies from intermediate routers. Careful analysts would disregard such values as inaccurate representations of the cable's performance.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, connectivity between Italy and Albania could be rerouted through other submarine cables landing at Bari and Durres. Bari hosts Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), Jonah, and OTEGLOBE Kokkini-Bari, while Durres is connected to Adria-1. These cables provide alternative paths for regional and international traffic, although the specifics of redundancy arrangements depend on operator agreements and network configurations.
Repairing a submarine cable involves locating the fault, deploying specialized ships, and conducting repairs underwater. Given the Adriatic Sea's relatively shallow depth, repair operations for the Italy-Albania cable are likely less complex compared to cables in deeper waters.
Bottom line
- The Italy-Albania cable is a 240-kilometer system connecting Bari, Italy, with Durres, Albania.
- Operational since 1997, it is jointly owned by ALBtelecom and Sparkle.
- Publicly available data does not disclose its design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, or technology.
- Computed latency over the wet segment is approximately 2.4 milliseconds RTT, but real-world measurements are higher.
- Redundancy is provided by other cables at Bari and Durres, including Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1) and Adria-1.