Unitirreno Launches Domestic Subsea Cable in Italy
By Dan Swinhoe, Data Center Dynamics
October 17, 2025
Unitirreno has launched a new domestic subsea cable in Italy.
The company, alongside Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Elettra, this week announced that the Unitirreno submarine cable system is officially ready for service.
The 1,156-kilometer system connects Sicily, Sardinia, Rome, and Genoa, delivering more than 624Tbps of total design capacity.
Plans for the Unitirreno subsea cable system were confirmed in February 2023, with Sparkle agreeing to land the cable at its Genoa landing station in July 2024. Construction on the system started earlier this year.
Engineered and manufactured by ASN and installed by Elettra, Unitirreno said the system is the world’s first operational 24-fiber-pair repeatered submarine cable system, leveraging ASN’s XBU 24FP technology.
The main Genoa–Mazara trunk provides 24 fiber pairs, each capable of more than 26 Tbps. An additional 4 fiber pairs are available on the Sardinia–Rome link.
Renato Brunetti, CEO, Unitirreno, said, “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.”
Unitirreno is owned by telecoms, cloud, and IoT company Unidata, the Infrastructure Fund for ESG Growth of Azimut Libera Impresa, and a team of senior executives.
Alain Biston, president and CEO, Alcatel Submarine Networks, said, “This project marks a milestone for ASN and the subsea industry. As the world’s first operational 24-fiber pairs repeatered system, the Unitirreno cable redefines connectivity standards and meets the growing bandwidth demands driven by the rapid development of AI.”
Orange Marine’s cable-laying ship CS Teliri suffered a propulsion breakdown while laying the cable.
Didier Dillard, CEO, Elettra, said, “We are delighted to see this cable system now ready for service after its installation by our cableship Teliri. This milestone reflects the efforts and the dedication of Elettra teams at every stage of this major project.”
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