Aqua Comms, a leading provider of global subsea connectivity services owned by Digital 9 (D9), has bought Openbyte, an Indian infrastructure company, to further its project to build EMIC-1, the planned Europe Middle East India Connect subsea cable.
According to Aqua Comms, Openbyte Infrastructure is an India-based licensed telecoms company focused on providing neutral, open access landing solutions for submarine cables.
Part of the package is Amit Vyas, who is now CEO of Aqua Comms India and regional chief business development officer for the company. And he will be supported by Neeraj Katiyar, now CTO for India and chief global architect for subsea cables.
EMIC-1 is a significant project for D9 and Aqua Comms. This week D9 said it plans £20 million investment in Aqua Comms in 2023 and £27 million on EMIC-1.
Over the following four years, to the end of 2027, spend will be £40 million on Aqua Comms and £13 million on EMIC-1.
According to Nigel Bayliff, CEO of Aqua Comms, the Indian deal, for which no price has been given, is an important acquisition as they continue to execute their plans to expand the Aqua Comms business into new geographies and as they build out their global network.
For Alan Harper, Aqua Comms chairman, he said that with their investment in EMIC-1, they are committed to the Indian market, a cornerstone of their ambitious global expansion plans.
Moreover, Amit Vyas said, Openbyte was founded to provide cost effective, open access solutions to make submarine cable capacity accessible to all interested stakeholders, enhance the digital infrastructure of the country and eliminate bottlenecks.
Over the next five to seven years the international digital infrastructure in India will be greatly enhanced and we at Aqua Comms will be at the forefront of bringing out this change for the better.” said Vyas
