Vodafone is advancing its international network infrastructure through the development of two major subsea cable systems—Thetis Express in Greece and Kardesa across the Black Sea—delivering hundreds of terabits per second in additional capacity, enhancing route diversity to avoid congestion hotspots, and positioning the company to support explosive growth in AI, cloud computing, and data-intensive applications.
Vodafone’s Push to Future-Proof Global Connectivity
Vodafone continues to invest heavily in its subsea infrastructure, recognizing that the backbone of the internet—submarine fiber optic cables—must evolve rapidly to handle unprecedented data traffic volumes. The company already maintains capacity across more than 70 subsea cable systems spanning over 100 countries, serving hundreds of millions of users and supporting wholesale connectivity for operators, cloud providers, and enterprises worldwide.
The latest initiatives focus on two high-profile projects designed to add significant capacity while introducing greater resilience and alternative routing options. These expansions address vulnerabilities in traditional pathways, particularly in regions prone to physical disruptions or heavy congestion, ensuring more reliable global data flows.
Thetis Express: Reinforcing Greece as a Mediterranean Digital Hub
The Thetis Express project involves the construction of a 340-kilometer subsea optical fiber cable system within Greece, directly linking Heraklion on the island of Crete to Athens on the mainland. The cable comprises two primary marine segments—129 kilometers and 163 kilometers—supplemented by terrestrial fiber connections across the island of Milos and at the termination points.
Engineered for high performance, Thetis Express is capable of transmitting up to 180 terabits per second (Tbps), a capacity sufficient to support the simultaneous 4K video streaming needs of approximately 25 million users. This substantial bandwidth will enhance domestic connectivity across Greece while providing wholesale operators and internet service providers with expanded interconnectivity options.
A key strategic element is the integration with the existing 2Africa cable network, which lands at Vodafone’s Crete station. The 2Africa system, one of the largest subsea projects globally, spans 33 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia, creating seamless extensions for traffic routing into Southeast Asia and beyond. By connecting Thetis Express to this network, Vodafone enables more efficient data transit through Greece, positioning the country as a vital node in Europe’s digital corridor to other continents.
The project delivers multiple benefits beyond raw capacity. It improves network resilience by offering redundant paths that allow rapid traffic rerouting during faults or outages. Local economies stand to gain from better access to essential online services, including healthcare, education, banking, and remote collaboration tools. For wholesale customers, the cable opens up greater flexibility in interconnecting with carrier-neutral data centers in Heraklion and Attika, supporting faster peering and lower-latency connections.
Kardesa: Opening a New Digital Corridor Across the Black Sea
Complementing the Greek initiative, the Kardesa submarine cable system targets the Black Sea region, creating a direct high-capacity link between Europe and Asia while bypassing longstanding chokepoints. The cable will connect Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, and Ukraine, forming a modern digital pathway that enhances regional connectivity and spurs investment in digital economies.
Kardesa is designed to deliver over 500 Tbps of internet capacity, dwarfing the existing Caucasus Cable system’s 12.6 Tbps and providing a competitive alternative for international traffic. The route deliberately avoids the Red Sea, where cables frequently face damage from busy shipping lanes and geopolitical tensions, thereby improving overall route diversity and reducing outage risks.
The project represents a significant commitment, with investment exceeding €100 million for full construction and installation. Construction is set to commence in the near term, with the first landing scheduled in Bulgaria in 2027, followed by connections in Turkey, Georgia, and Ukraine. Operations in Ukrainian waters will remain confined to internationally recognized safe zones to ensure security.
Beyond capacity, Kardesa addresses the broader need for reliable international routes amid surging global demand. With nearly 98% of international internet traffic traveling via subsea cables, every new diverse pathway strengthens the resilience of the global internet fabric. The cable is expected to accelerate inward investment into the connected countries by enabling faster, more dependable data transmission for businesses, governments, and consumers.
Key Project Specifications
Broader Implications for Global Data Infrastructure
| Project | Route/Connections | Length | Capacity | Ready for Service | Strategic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thetis Express | Crete (Heraklion) to Athens mainland, links to 2Africa | 340 km | Up to 180 Tbps | 2027 | Domestic Greek boost, wholesale resilience, Mediterranean hub |
| Kardesa | Black Sea: Bulgaria, Georgia, Turkey, Ukraine | Not specified (regional) | Over 500 Tbps | 2027 | Europe-Asia corridor, Red Sea bypass, regional diversity |
These expansions arrive at a critical juncture when data consumption is accelerating due to artificial intelligence workloads, widespread cloud adoption, cloud-based services, streaming, 5G proliferation, and the Internet of Things. Analysts note that Vodafone’s proactive approach—adding capacity and diversity ahead of constraints—positions the company to remain a leading enabler of global connectivity in an AI-driven era.
By investing in these systems, Vodafone not only scales its own network but also contributes to the broader ecosystem. Additional routes help alleviate pressure on traditional bottlenecks, support hyperscalers and content providers seeking low-latency paths, and foster competition in wholesale markets. As digital transformation intensifies, such infrastructure plays a pivotal role in maintaining seamless, secure, and high-performance connectivity worldwide.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment, or professional advice. Readers should conduct their own research before making decisions.