Bahrain joins global subsea network as stc lands 2Africa Pearls cable

The cable system, part of the world’s longest undersea network, landed on 4 June following investment by stc. The project supports Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030 and positions the country to meet rising demand for digital services and advanced technologies

Bahrain has landed its first submarine cable system, marking a significant boost for the Kingdom’s digital connectivity.

Telecom operator stc confirmed today it had successfully connected Bahrain to the 2Africa Pearls subsea cable network, part of the world’s longest undersea cable system, spanning 45,000 km. The Bahrain segment involves an investment of US$205 million by stc.

The cable officially landed near the Seef District on 4 June.

The event was attended by Bahrain’s Minister of Transportation and Telecommunications, H.E. Dr Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, and Eng. Khalid Al Osaimi, Chief Executive Officer of stc Bahrain.

According to stc, the operation to connect the subsea cable to Bahrain’s onshore network was completed in record time.

Speaking at the event, Dr Shaikh Abdullah described the landing as an important step forward for Bahrain’s digital ambitions, aligning with the Kingdom’s Economic Vision 2030.

The achievement reflects the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening its position as a regional and global digital hub, in line with the goals of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, he said.

With a design capacity of 180 terabits per second, the cable will significantly expand Bahrain’s international bandwidth, providing the necessary infrastructure for growing demand in areas such as cloud computing, video streaming, and gaming.

Eng. Al Osaimi said the cable landing would increase Bahrain’s current connectivity capacity by ten times, with scope for further expansion.

“We are thrilled to land the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable to Bahrain, this will increase Bahrain’s current connectivity capacity by 10x, further scalable to accommodate future growth,” Al Osaimi added. “This is in line with our commitment to advancing Bahrain’s position as a leading communications and digital hub for the region, directly aligning with Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030, and its goals for the ICT sector to create a diversified, knowledge-based economy.”

The 2Africa Pearls cable is currently the only subsea cable in the Gulf region capable of supporting the data requirements of next-generation technologies, including 5G, artificial intelligence (AI), and the Internet of Things (IoT).

The landing is expected to improve connectivity for businesses, consumers, and technology providers across Bahrain.


Main image: Senior representatives from stc, government, and industry mark the landing of the 2Africa Pearls submarine cable in Bahrain, the Kingdom’s first subsea cable connection.