Vodafone unveils new subsea cable in Greece

Vodafone unveils new subsea cable in Greece is profiled by BTW Media because public-source evidence links it to internet infrastructure, governance, operational dependencies, or market visibility.

• Vodafone launches the Thetis Express subsea and land cable system linking Crete with Athens to boost resilience and capacity.
• The new route will support up to 180 Tbps, enable wholesale services for other providers and strengthen Greece’s role as an international connectivity hub.

What happened: the project is part of Vodafone’s wider investment in strengthening Greece’s digital infrastructure and international connectivity

Vodafone’s Carrier Services division has begun construction of a new high-capacity subsea optical fibre cable system in Greece, named the Thetis Express, to improve internet connectivity between the island of Crete and the mainland.

The 340 kilometre system, currently in the marine survey phase, will consist of two subsea segments of 129 km and 163 km respectively, linked by terrestrial connections across Milos and reaching carrier-neutral data centres in Heraklion (Crete) and Attika (Athens). Once operational, it will be capable of transmitting up to 180 terabits per second (Tbps) — roughly equivalent to 25 million users streaming 4K video simultaneously.

Alongside the subsea route, Vodafone is also building three new high-speed land-based cable systems that will integrate with the Thetis Express to enhance local network reach and redundancy.

Also Read: Altibox Carrier achieves world’s first 1.6 Tb/s submarine cable transmission
Also Read: Cable & Wireless Seychelles: Seychelles’ quad-play telecom provider

Why it’s important

The Thetis Express will significantly boost Greece’s digital infrastructure, offering greater capacity and resilience to support online services — from healthcare and education to business platforms and banking. By offering wholesale interconnectivity services, Vodafone will allow other internet service providers to tap into the new route, promoting competition and expanded access across the region.

Positioned almost halfway between Europe and Africa, Crete is strategically important for international network routes. The new cable is expected to link with the 2Africa subsea system, one of the longest subsea networks in the world, enhancing connectivity between Europe, Africa and Asia.

Vodafone’s investment also reflects broader efforts by major telecom operators to upgrade terrestrial and undersea infrastructure to meet rising demand for high-capacity internet and to support emerging technologies like space-based direct-to-device mobile broadband, which Vodafone has referenced as part of its future network strategy.

Overall, the project could help position Greece as a major connectivity hub in the Mediterranean, supporting economic growth, digital inclusion and stronger international data links.