Caribbean

EllaLink proposes a new Caribbean submarine corridor, targeting service in 2029

The company has begun developing Caribbean Gateway from French Guiana. Landing commitments and financing are still outstanding; no commercial connection is available yet.

EllaLink announced Caribbean Gateway on 29 September, proposing a submarine cable from Cayenne in French Guiana to connect Caribbean territories with its network between Europe and Brazil. The company targets service by the end of 2029. It has begun the development phase, while the proposed Caribbean links still require local commitments, financing and construction. For operators and public institutions, this is a possible additional international route, not capacity they can buy today. [1][2]

The proposed route runs toward Martinique and Guadeloupe, with a western segment for Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. EllaLink also lists Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and several eastern Caribbean islands. Not every territory would necessarily have its own landing. The company envisages either branches from the trunk or interconnection through Martinique. That distinction matters because local access and commercial control would depend on the eventual agreement and the infrastructure actually built. [1]

Under EllaLink's proposed model, a local landing party would own its branch, hold a dedicated right to use capacity on the trunk and determine how that capacity is offered. EllaLink describes the system as open and carrier-neutral. EllaLink identifies Suriname's Telesur was the first participant to express interest through a letter of intent. A letter is not a final contract. EllaLink must turn such indications into firm commitments and complete the financing structure before construction can start. It has not published a list of financed branches or access prices for each market. [1][2]

The technical starting point would be Lum@link, an approximately 2,100-kilometre connection between Cayenne and the EllaLink system off Brazil. EllaLink says marine installation has finished, but expects that connection to enter service only by the end of 2026. It is separate from the existing Sines–Fortaleza transatlantic trunk, operating since 2021, and from the proposed Caribbean Gateway, which remains in development. Existing infrastructure gives the project a base, but does not mean the announced islands are already connected. [1]

The regional concern is documented: in a 6 October communiqué, the Caribbean Telecommunications Union called for more submarine-cable diversity and stronger resilience strategies. That resolution does not approve or fund this particular project. An additional route could reduce reliance on existing corridors if built and connected to local networks; the actual benefit would depend on final design, agreements and operations. Signed landing agreements, financing and the start of construction are the next milestones that can be verified. [1][3]

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