Orange, a French telecoms operator, has joined a consortium that includes mobile network operator Telco OI, fiber network operator Réunicable, and digital development body La Réunion Connectée, to build the Reunion New Indian Ocean Network (ReuNION) subsea cable connecting La Réunion (Reunion Island) to South Africa.
The project is part of an effort to improve subsea cable infrastructure in Reunion Island, a department of France located in the Indian Ocean. According to a press release, the existing infrastructure is nearing the end of its operational life. The ReuNION subsea cable project will also provide a more direct route between the island and South Africa.
“This future cable is key to La Réunion’s digital development and regional growth – it will meet the rising traffic demands and the need for resilience. In line with our ‘Trust the future’ strategy, we are investing in this project and will leverage our expertise in its construction, including deployment and landing,” said Jean-Louis Le Roux, Orange International Networks Executive Vice President.
The cable features 16 fiber pairs, each with a capacity of 20 Tbps. The cable will improve latency and contribute to both resilience and diversification of international connectivity to the region. Connecting to South Africa is just the first phase, with the second phase set to extend ReuNION to Singapore to improve connectivity to Asia.
According to La Réunion Connectée, a financial package of € 93.1 million (US$ 108.2 million) has been validated for ReuNION with the operator consortium committing € 36.6 million (US$ 42.5 million) for the project. Additional financing was provided by the European Union through the Connecting Europe Facility program, the European Regional Development Fund, and the French state.
Once the consortium members have signed the relevant agreements, this first phase can begin where marine surveys are conducted and permit applications are submitted. Cable manufacturing and laying operations will reportedly happen simultaneously.
The cable will be deployed by Orange Marine with Alcatel Submarine Networks designing and manufacturing the system in line with the project’s technical and regulatory requirements. Orange will also be responsible for landing the cable on Reunion Island. The company will manage permits with local authorities, carry out civil engineering works at the landing site, establish a secure landing station, and interconnect the subsea cable with the island’s digital infrastructure.
The first subsea cable, South Africa Far East (SAFE), landed on Reunion Island in 2002 connecting South Africa to India. The Lower Indian Ocean Network (LION), connecting the island to Madagascar and Mauritius, landed a few years later in 2009. A third cable, the Meltingpot Indianoceanic Submarine System (METISS), landed in 2021 linking the island to South Africa and Madagascar. The ReuNION subsea cable is set to be officially commissioned and operational by 2028.