DE-CIX, an internet exchange operator, has signed a letter of intent with Cabo Verde Telecom (CVTelecom), a telecommunications provider in Cape Verde, to explore the establishment of a new South Atlantic interconnection corridor linking Lisbon, Portugal with São Paulo, Brazil.
The corridor would enable more direct data transfer between networks in Southern Europe, West Africa, and Latin America. According to a press release, the additional route across the Atlantic Ocean will reduce reliance on traditional traffic hubs in Northern Europe and North America.
“Digital growth increasingly depends on resilient, diverse, and geographically distributed connectivity,” said Theresa Bobis, DE-CIX Head of Emerging Wholesale Markets. “Together with Cabo Verde Telecom, we want to create a new interconnection corridor across the South Atlantic that brings digital ecosystems in Europe, Africa, and Latin America closer together. More direct data routes can improve performance, strengthen infrastructure resilience, and open up new opportunities for businesses and network operators across all three regions.”
Cape Verde is located along major connectivity routes and several major cables land on the island nation’s shores including the West Africa Cable System, Atlantis and the Senegal Horn of Africa Regional Express cable system. The agreement with DE-CIX will give CVTelecom access to the exchange operator’s services in Frankfurt, Madrid, Marseille, New York, and São Paulo. In return, DE-CIX will gain access to dedicated transport capacity between Lisbon and São Paulo.
“Partnering with DE-CIX represents an important step in strengthening Cape Verde’s position as a strategic digital gateway between Africa, Europe, and the Americas. By combining CVTelecom’s international connectivity capabilities with DE-CIX’s global interconnection ecosystem, we aim to enhance connectivity, resilience, and access to digital services, creating new value for our customers while contributing to the continued digital development of Cape Verde and the wider West African region,” said Isa Neves, CVTelecom CMO.
The precise scope, technical implementation, and commercial terms of the cooperation will be defined in a definitive agreement. The letter of intent sets out the preliminary framework for the agreement but is non-binding, and the planned services remain subject to the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement between DE-CIX and CVTelecom.
Cape Verde is the latest African nation to announce its intention to shore up its connectivity landscape. Last week w.media reported that Angola Cables, a telecommunications and digital solutions provider, is upgrading its MONET and South Atlantic Cable System (SACS) subsea cable systems. SACS connects Angola to Brazil and MONET connects Brazil to the US. The improvements aim to meet the accelerating demand for capacity from hyperscalers and cloud providers.