Orange, Free to Fund Subsea Cable Connecting La Reunion

Orange, Free to Fund Subsea Cable Connecting La Reunion-South Africa

French telecoms operators Orange and Free have teamed up to fund a €93 million ($107.82 million) subsea cable connecting the French Indian Ocean island of Reunion with South Africa, the companies said on Wednesday.

The cable is scheduled to enter service in 2028 and is intended to replace the SAFE cable commissioned in 2002.

Orange will act as the landing party while subsidiary Orange Marine will deploy the infrastructure designed by Alcatel Submarine Networks.

The companies did not disclose their respective shares in the project. The EU will contribute to the funding of the project, they said.