• ReuNION will use 16 fibre pairs for 320Tbps of design capacity and is scheduled to enter service in 2028
  • Orange will handle the La Réunion landing, while SAFE is scheduled to retire in 2027

The fact

Orange has joined Telco OI, Réunicable and La Réunion Connectée to develop ReuNION, a planned submarine cable between La Réunion and South Africa. Scheduled for service in 2028, the 16-fibre-pair system is designed for 320Tbps. SAFE, one of La Réunion's existing international cables, is due to retire in 2027.

Orange will be the landing party in La Réunion, responsible for permits, coastal works, the landing station and terrestrial interconnection. Orange Marine will deploy the cable, while Alcatel Submarine Networks will design and manufacture it. Marine surveys and permit applications are among the next stages.

The assessment

ReuNION's delivery depends on the offshore cable and onshore infrastructure being ready on the same timetable. The system cannot enter service until the landing station and terrestrial connection are complete, putting Orange's work in La Réunion on the project's critical path.

The 2028 target comes a year after SAFE's planned retirement. La Réunion has other cable routes, so this does not establish a connectivity gap. But a delay to ReuNION would leave the island relying on those remaining systems for longer before the new route becomes available.

For BTW readers, the practical issue is coordination. The cable, landing station and terrestrial backhaul must all be commissioned before the planned 320Tbps can become usable capacity.

What to watch

Watch the marine survey, permits, South African landing point and progress on the La Réunion landing station. The main test is whether offshore installation and terrestrial works stay aligned with the 2028 service date. Any delay will matter more as SAFE approaches its planned 2027 retirement.