Space42, the UAE-based AI-powered spacetech company, has announced a strategic collaboration with FADA, an entity that is part of UAE’s EDGE, a technology company established to develop the UAE’s sovereign geospatial analytics capabilities, to significantly advance the UAE’s Earth observation (EO) downstream capabilities.

The contract, valued at AED378 million (about US$103 million), aims to provide comprehensive solutions across various sectors.

The collaboration will leverage data from Space42’s Foresight Constellation of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellites, first launched in August 2024 and expanded in January 2025. Space42 and FADA say they will collaborate with multiple government end users to continuously develop the platform capabilities over the next few years.

The collaboration, says Space42, will elevate the capabilities of its Earth observation technologies and contribute significantly to the UAE’s strategic objectives in data-driven decision-making by leveraging advanced analytics and multi-source geospatial data.

Launched in September last year, FADA’s mission is to develop sovereign space capabilities and homegrown technologies in the UAE. Its name is derived from the Arabic word for space.

Waleid Al Mesmari, President – Space & Cyber Technologies, EDGE, explains: « With the launch of FADA, EDGE’s new space company, we are reinforcing our commitment to pioneering advanced technologies and strengthening national capabilities. FADA’s mission to develop sovereign space solutions and drive innovation in satellite systems aligns with this collaboration. « 

As we reported at the time, Space42 was established in 2024 following the successful merger between Bayanat, an AI-powered geospatial solutions provider, and Yahsat, the UAE’s flagship satellite operator. It has two business units. The Yahsat Space Services unit focuses on upstream satellite operations for both fixed and mobility satellite solutions. The Bayanat Smart Solutions unit integrates geospatial data acquisition and processing with AI to inform decision-making, enhance situational awareness, and improve operational efficiency.

Two regional fiber items and three international upgrades: … [visit site to read more]

Contributed Article

The centrally located Netherlands is well-known as an important digital hub. There is a tremendous density of datacenters, a strong digital economy and an excellent digital infrastructure, both by sea and by land to the European hinterland. With its world-class connectivity and strategic position, the country offers unparalleled opportunities for digital infrastructure development. The Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition* aims to foster international collaboration and emphasize and further strengthen the Dutch position as a digital hub.

Unique support for landing sea cables in the Netherlands

The coalition is a unique public-private partnership with top-level partners from the business community, infrastructure, datacenters, wholesale end users, knowledge institutions and different levels of government. The coalition supports new cable initiatives by sharing knowledge about the Dutch ecosystem, connecting with relevant parties and offering support for navigating the regulatory and licensing system in the Netherlands. The coalition is committed to guiding landing parties every step of the way and is the first stop to getting support in navigating the Dutch landscape en-route to a successful landing of a subsea cable in the Netherlands.

2024: A milestone year for the Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition

2024 was a very productive year for the coalition. First off, all Dutch coastal provinces joined the coalition, thereby providing direct lines to all relevant governmental organizations, wherever subsea cables wish to land in the Netherlands.  Besides strengthening the support and reach of the coalition internally, there are also exciting developments internationally.

Martin Prins, the ambassador of the Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition, says: ‘We are currently working on cable routes with various consortia. Off course we are supporting the IOEMA initiative, which is planned to land on two locations on the Dutch coast. We connect them with the relevant people, whether that is with government authorities for permitting procedures or market parties for collaboration.’

Furthermore, the coalition is currently in advanced talks with entities from several other European countries to develop a means to collaborate on a new, extensive and unique cable system. Stay informed by finding Dutch Coalition members at events such as Submarine Networks, connecting through email or signing up for our Webinar later this year.

Further streamlining and lowering the threshold for landing in the Netherlands

In addition to directly assisting international consortia, the coalition is also actively working on projects in the Netherlands that make landing simpler and more attractive. In the first quarter of 2025 a special ‘service counter’ will be launched by the Dutch Enterprise Agency, commissioned by the Ministry of Economic Affairs. All consortia interested in landing in the Netherlands can connect to one project guide who will be their point of contact and help in centrally coordinating permitting processes. By integrally instead of sequentally pursuing permits, this unique service will significantly reduce the processing times for permitting applications.

Peter van Burgel, CEO of AMS-IX: “The Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition is undertaking significant steps in further facilitating submarine cable systems to the Netherlands. We are happy that we are actively collaborating on further strengthening the leading position of the Netherlands as digital hub and digital gateway to Europe.”

The Dutch government is ‘future-focused and supportive’

Landing and properly maintaining sea cables is also on the political agenda. The Dutch government realizes emphasizes that the digital infrastructure, including maritime cables, should not be taken for granted. It requires continuous efforts from both companies and the government to keep the digital infrastructure innovative, high-quality, affordable, resilient, safe, sustainable and attractive for investors.

“The Dutch government’s plan is to invest more in digital infrastructure in the coming years,” says Martin Prins. ‘That is of course a positive development for us, because we want to continue to encourage submarine cable landings. But it is also a good time for external parties to make landings.’

Looking forward to meeting you at Submarine Networks

Dutch Subsea Coalition ambassador Martin Prins, together with his colleagues Aldert de Jongste (Coalition Strategist) and Björn Oosterwijk (Gereral Secretary), and other coalition members representing the Netherlands, will be present at the Submarine Networks Event in London, February 2025. During the News in Brief sessions on Tuesday February 18^th at 10:50, Martin will further discuss the coalition and the proposition of the Netherlands. Don’t miss his unique insights!

Martin Prins: ‘It is clear that the Netherlands is “open for business”. We will further introduce our coalition to the international submarine cable community and inform interested parties about the possibilities that the Netherlands and the Subsea Cable Coalition can offer.’ 

*The Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition is a collaboration of: ABN AMRO, AMS-IX, Digital Realty, Dutch Datacenter Association (DDA), Equinix, Eurofiber, Fiber Carrier Association (FCA), KPN, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, i3D.net, InnovationQuarter, Liberty Global, Netherlands Foreign Investment Agency (NFIA), NL-IX, Relined, Rijkswaterstaat, Stichting DiNL, Stratix, SURF and WorldStream.

Join the Dutch Subsea Cable Coalition at Booth 13 at Submarine Networks EMEA, the world’s largest submarine connectivity event taking place this week! 

UAE-based telco du said on Monday it has signed a partnership deal with PEACE Cable International Network Co Limited to extend the PEACE subsea cable system into the UAE and Gulf region.

The open-access PEACE cable – which went live at the end of August 2024 – spans 21,500 km between Singapore and France, with landing points in Pakistan, Kenya, Somalia, Tunisia, Maldives, Seychelles, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Malta and Cyprus. The system sports 16 Tbps per fibre pair with a maximum design capacity of 192 Tbps.

While the main cable itself is privately owned by PEACE – a subsidiary of China-based Hengtong Group – the branching units are owned by telco partners. For example, Zain owns the branch connecting Jeddah and Marseille, while Ooredoo Tunisia owns the Tunisian branch, Cyta owns the branch to Cyprus, and GO owns the branch to Malta.

Similarly, du will construct a new branch, the PEACE Gulf Extension, which will extend the system’s reach to the UAE.

Karim Benkirane, chief commercial officer at du, said the partnership deal with PEACE will boost the telco’s capabilities to provide better network performance and managed services across the region, and enhance digital transformation and connectivity for its wholesale and enterprise customers.

“This collaboration will bring about significant economic and digital advancements, ensuring our customers enjoy unparalleled reliability and value,” he said in a statement.

The PEACE Gulf Extension branch is projected to be ready for service by the second half of 2026.

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When it comes to subsea cables, there are short ones, long ones, really long ones, and now there is Project Waterworth. Over the weekend, Meta announced its latest subsea cable infrastructure project that would span 50,000km and connect the east coast of the US with the west coast of the US, via, well, everywhere. … [visit site to read more]

Startup Stories

Introducing OciusX, a next-generation construction management platform revolutionising fibre rollout projects with real-time progress tracking, geo-tagged data, and seamless closeout documentation

Tell us about OciusX

OciusX provides an intuitive and field-friendly construction management platform designed specifically for fibre network deployments. By enabling real-time progress tracking, automated closeout packages, and seamless communication between field teams and management, we help service providers and general contractors improve efficiency, reduce costly delays, and maintain high-quality standards. In an industry where time is money, OciusX ensures projects stay on track with unparalleled transparency and control.

What was the inspiration behind OciusX?

The telecom construction industry has traditionally relied on outdated, fragmented tools for project management, leading to inefficiencies, delays, and miscommunication. After witnessing these pain points firsthand whilst building a construction company in Sweden, we started building an internal tool to manage these problems. The intention was never to build commercial software, but the combination of our background in technology together with a deep understanding of fibre network deployment, ultimately lead to OciusX becoming a very powerful tool, built by fibre guys, for fibre guys.

What have been the biggest challenges and successes so far?

Since launching, OciusX has rapidly gained traction, proving the demand for a specialised construction management platform tailored to fibre rollout. One of our biggest successes has been onboarding key customers in the U.S., including major internet service providers and contractors, who have experienced increased efficiency and cost savings using our platform.

Challenges have included navigating the complexities of enterprise sales in the telecom sector and educating potential clients on the value of adopting new digital workflows. However, by consistently delivering results and optimising our product based on customer feedback, we’ve successfully built a strong reputation in the industry.

Where do you see the company a year from now?

In the next year, we aim to expand our presence in the U.S. market, onboarding more major fibre network operators and contractors. We also plan to introduce AI-driven insights to further automate project tracking and quality assurance. Our goal is to become the go-to software for fibre construction management and expand into adjacent industries like power and utility infrastructure.

What are you most looking forward to about exhibiting at Connected America?

Connected America is a key event for the fibre and broadband industry, bringing together the top players shaping the future of connectivity. We’re excited to showcase OciusX to industry leaders, demonstrate how our platform is driving efficiency in fibre rollout, and connect with potential customers and partners. This event is an incredible opportunity to network, gain insights, and reinforce OciusX’s position as a leader in fiber construction management technology.

Join OciusX and the booming startup community at Connected America 2025 live in Dallas, Texas

Company Details:

HQ Location: Stockholm, Sweden

Number of Employees: 9

Funding: Seed-funded, no additional funding needed

Website: https://www.ociusx.com/

Founders: Tim Axelsson (CEO), Marcus Torvang (CTO), Pär Cedergren (Chairman), Andreas Gustavsson.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ociusx

News 

The Asia Direct Cable (ADC) system is now fully operational, two months ahead of schedule 

The ADC, developed by a consortium of companies including China Telecom, China Unicom, Singtel, SoftBank, Tata Communications, and Viettel, is the first new submarine cable introduced in the Asia-Pacific in over eight years.  

The cable spans approximately 10,000km, connecting China, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam, and has a capacity of over 160 Tbps. 

The submarine cable aims to boost connectivity in region and support growing network capacity demands. With existing cable resources increasingly stretched, the activation of ADC capacity is expected to ease congestion and support the expansion of services such as cloud computing and big data analytics. 

The wet plant of the ADC was marked ready for service last November, with the dry plant section announced as fully operational this week.  

China Telecom, serving as Co-chair of the ADC Consortium, coordinated efforts among stakeholders, despite delay challenges. faced long delays. 

The ADC’s launch is expected to enhance digital infrastructure in Asia-Pacific, supporting technology development and digital transformation across industries. As demand for reliable, high-speed connectivity grows, China Telecom continues to expand its global network.  

Keep up with all the latest cable news at Submarine Networks EMEA, the world’s largest submarine connectivity event live in London next week! Tickets available here 

Also in the news:
Bridging AI and global connectivity: The rise of hybrid cable landing stations and the shift beyond hyperscalers
UK space race heats up as Amazon wins UK MoD satellite contract
French energy giant EDF offers up land for data centre projects

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Contributed Article

by Tim Parker, Chief Growth Officer of Assured Comms

The rapid evolution of AI is reshaping data center infrastructure, changing the approach to compute deployment by enterprises and cloud providers. Driven by traditional hyperscalers with large-scale training clusters, emerging efficiency gains are shifting demand toward smaller, more distributed inference deployments. Meanwhile, demands for connectivity continue to rise globally, demanding infrastructure that best minimizes latency and improves data distribution.

This shift presents an opportunity for hybrid cable landing stations (HCLS)—a model integrating subsea connectivity with AI infrastructure—to support the next generation of AI workloads.

Moving beyond hyperscalers

Historically, AI infrastructure required 100–200MW data center campuses optimized for model training. However, advancements like DeepSeek’s efficiency gains are altering this model, reducing energy requirements and making 5–20MW AI inference hubs a viable alternative. Enterprises increasingly recognize that AI processing doesn’t need to be concentrated in massive, high-density clusters. Instead, regionalized AI workloads allow for more flexible, cost-efficient deployment while minimizing bottlenecks.

Greater efficiency does not necessarily reduce overall demand. Instead, it enables broader AI adoption, shifting workloads to a wider range of locations and infrastructure types. As AI becomes more accessible and cost-effective, enterprises are reconsidering where and how their compute resources should be deployed.

The role of hybrid infrastructure in AI deployment

As AI workloads move toward distributed inference models, connectivity becomes a critical factor. Traditionally, cable landing stations (CLS) have been designed solely to handle subsea fiber traffic, routing data from international networks to terrestrial infrastructure. However, this model is evolving.

Hybrid cable landing stations integrate subsea connectivity with AI processing, enabling localized compute power at network entry points. This reduces the need for long-haul data transport, cutting latency for AI-driven applications while optimizing bandwidth utilization.

The benefits of this model include:

• Lower latency, with AI workloads processing data closer to the end user.
• Greater flexibility, allowing enterprises to deploy inference workloads at strategic global entry points rather than relying on centralized hyperscaler hubs.
• Improved scalability, supporting modular AI deployments that can adapt to changing infrastructure needs.

Investment and infrastructure implications

As these shifts take hold, investors and data center operators must rethink long-term strategies. The move away from ultra-large AI campuses suggests that speculative hyperscaler builds may carry greater risk, particularly those requiring extensive power commitments. Instead, mid-sized deployments (5–20MW) and modular colocation models are becoming more attractive investment targets.

For enterprises, the ability to leverage regionalized AI infrastructure offers cost advantages while reducing reliance on traditional hyperscaler platforms. GPU-as-a-service providers and enterprise-owned AI deployments are also gaining traction, further diversifying the AI infrastructure landscape.

AI is no longer confined to massive hyperscale campuses. As training efficiency improves and inference workloads become more distributed, the industry must adapt. Hybrid cable landing stations represent a critical evolution, merging subsea connectivity with AI infrastructure to enable faster, more flexible data processing.

This shift has broad implications for infrastructure investment, data center design, and global connectivity strategies. The future of AI-driven networks will be defined not by scale alone, but by strategic placement, efficiency, and adaptability—a trend that forward-thinking enterprises and investors must embrace.

Join Assured Comms and the subsea cable commuity next week at Submarine Networks EMEA, the world’s leading subsea connectivity event