Unitirreno Submarine Network S.p.A., Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Elettra Tlc S.p.A. revealed the news for the cable that stretches 1,156 kilometres and directly connects Sicily, Sardinia, Rome and Genoa.

The cable delivers more than 624Tbps of total design capacity and ultra-low latency. Built by ASN and installed by Elettra, Unitirreno is the ‘world’s first’ operational 24-fibre-pair repeatered subsea cable system, powered by ASN’s XBU 24FP technology.

“This marks a major achievement for Unitirreno and a proud moment for Italy,” said Renato Brunetti, CEO, Unitirreno.

“The Unitirreno cable system is now operational, providing high-speed, low-latency connectivity that will unlock new opportunities for businesses and communities across the region. This is more than just infrastructure, it’s a foundation for innovation, collaboration, and growth.”

The main Genoa–Mazara trunk provides 24 fibre pairs, each capable of carrying over 26 Tbps.

Additional fibre pairs strengthen the Sardinia–Rome link, while advanced branching and switching in Rome enable flexible routing on the Genoa–Rome and Mazara–Rome paths. The system achieves sub-9 millisecond latency from Sicily to Northern Europe via Genoa and Milan.

All major routes—Mazara–Genoa, Mazara–Rome, Genoa–Rome and Rome–Olbia—are now fully operational. Designed as an open cable system, Unitirreno offers dark fibre, spectrum and scalable capacity, creating diverse, secure and high-performance paths that bypass congested Mediterranean landing points and support the rapid growth of AI, cloud and data-intensive applications.

Alain Biston, president and CEO at Alcatel Submarine Networks said: “This project marks a milestone for ASN and the subsea industry. As the world’s first operational 24-fibre-pair repeatered system, the Unitirreno cable redefines connectivity standards and meets the growing bandwidth demands driven by the rapid development of AI.”

Didier Dillard, CEO at Elettra added: “We are delighted to see this cable system now ready for service after its installation by our cable ship Teliri. This milestone reflects the efforts and dedication of Elettra teams at every stage of this major project.”

Andrea Cornetti, president of Unitirreno said: “This project demonstrates our commitment to creating a network that serves not just today’s demands but also anticipates the needs of tomorrow.

“By connecting key hubs with world-class performance, we’re enabling businesses and institutions to thrive in an increasingly connected world.”

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