Caucasus Online and SubCom to upgrade Caucasus undersea fiber-optic cable system

Georgian telecommunications provider Caucasus Online and TE SubCom (SubCom), a provider of undersea communications technology, have entered into a contract to upgrade the Caucasus undersea cable system, which spans nearly 1,200 km and provides high-bandwidth connectivity between Poti, Georgia, and Balchik, Bulgaria. The upgrade will be conducted in stages over the next several years.

In operation since the end of 2008, the Caucasus Cable System has successfully served Georgian markets by providing direct access to Western Europe via an undersea fiber-optic link. SubCom’s upgrade system will enable Caucasus Online to enhance its services, as needed, through boosted international capacity.

“Our cable system has become an integral part of daily life in Georgia,” said Gia Adeishvili, CEO of Caucasus Online LLC. “We are thrilled to continue our partnership with SubCom to gradually add network capacity to the system and better serve the region.”

The Caucasus Cable System is comprised of a two-fiber-pair point-to-point link connecting the main Georgian port of Poti with the Bulgarian coastal city of Balchik. It has an ultimate design capacity of 1.2 Tbps. A staged upgrade plan allows for the addition of 10 Gbps wavelengths, using technology installed in the original system.

“We have been working continually with Caucasus Online over the past few years and are very pleased to deliver the flexible solution the customer needs to add network capacity,” said Benoit Duguet, SubCom Managing Director EMEA Sales. “The capacity upgrade will be completed in-service, using advanced terminal technology and is a testament to SubCom’s reliable, scalable and adaptable offerings.”