Sisimiut, Greenland

Sisimiut: A Key Link in Greenland's Submarine Cable Network

Sisimiut, Greenland's second-largest city, plays an important role in the country's connectivity through its single submarine cable landing point. Nestled on the coast of Davis Strait, approximately 320 km north of Nuuk, Sisimiut serves as a hub for regional communication, linking Greenland's central-western coastline to the broader national network.

The Greenland Connect North Cable

Sisimiut is one of four landing points for the Greenland Connect North cable, which spans 680 km and became operational in 2017. This cable is entirely domestic, connecting Sisimiut to other Greenlandic towns: Aasiaat, Maniitsoq, and Nuuk. Together, these points form a cohesive chain that enables reliable communication across Greenland's rugged and remote western coastline. While Nuuk, the capital, hosts two submarine cables, Sisimiut shares its single-cable status with Aasiaat and Maniitsoq. This distribution reflects Greenland's strategic approach to connectivity, ensuring that even smaller towns like Sisimiut are integrated into the national network. The cable does not extend internationally, but its role in linking Greenland's communities is essential for local communication and data transfer.

Latency and Performance

GeoCables' latency monitoring reveals impressive performance for the Greenland Connect North cable at Sisimiut. Across 53 completed checks from 10 source cities, the average round-trip latency was measured at 132 ms, with the best observed latency reaching 92 ms. These figures highlight the efficiency of the cable, ensuring that Sisimiut remains well-connected despite its remote location.

Sisimiut's Role in Greenland

As the capital of the Qeqqata municipality, Sisimiut is more than just a landing point for submarine cables. It is a vibrant city with a rich history and a growing economy. Its coastal location makes it an ideal site for a cable landing point, providing a direct link to Greenland's other western towns. While Nuuk may be the political and economic center of Greenland, Sisimiut's connectivity ensures that the city can participate fully in the country's development.

A Regional Network

Greenland's submarine cable infrastructure is relatively modest, with two cables landing across five points. Sisimiut ranks in the top 80% of these landing points by cable count, underscoring its importance in the national network. The Greenland Connect North cable not only ties Sisimiut to its neighbors but also forms part of a broader strategy to stitch together Greenland's coastal communities. In a country where vast distances and challenging terrain often isolate towns, submarine cables like Greenland Connect North are indispensable for communication and collaboration. Sisimiut's role as a landing point ensures that this city remains connected to the rest of Greenland, supporting its residents and their aspirations.