FTTH Conference 2023 – meet Global Gateways projects managed by HaDEA under the first CEF Digital calls

The FTTH Conference is the world's largest fibre optic trade fair and conference which takes place from 18 to 20 April 2023 in Madrid. This year’s programme features 26 expert workshops, 18 conference panel sessions and multiple keynote speeches offering insights from leading policy makers, business leaders, technology experts and investors.

The European Commission supports the deployment of high-capacity digital infrastructure in Europe, in particular Gigabit and 5G networks, through the Connecting Europe Facility Digital programme.

The first set of calls for proposals were launched in January 2022 with a total budget of €258 million for 5 calls. Under the call on Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways, HaDEA manages 12 projects distributed as follows:

Works (Total EU contribution: €50.7 million)

• LDV - Interconnection and Colocation Center
• Digital Gateway between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean
• Submarine cable connecting Mauritania to Portugal and Europe
• Submarine cable system between Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura in Canary Islands
• Submarine cable between Marseille (France) and Bizerte (Tunisia).

Studies (Total EU contribution: €17.6 million)

• Portugal Ireland Spain Connecting Europe Subsea
• Black Sea Landing Point
• Tusass Connect 1
• Resilient Stockholm Archipelago Backbone
• Study to deploy new submarine cables in Canary Islands
• West European Coast Festoon
• Planning of development of the autonomous digital backbone and connecting Europe with global strategic partners

Background

The second generation of the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) Digital programme aims to support and catalyse investments in European digital connectivity infrastructures of common interest.

CEF Digital will improve, secure and innovate connectivity infrastructures such as Gigabit and 5G networks across Europe. These actions will receive more than €1 billion in funding for the first three years (2021-2023). Out of this budget, HaDEA will manage more than €710 million .

The first calls under CEF Digital managed by HaDEA covered the following areas:

• 5G coverage along transport corridors
• 5G for Smart Communities
• Backbone networks for pan-European cloud federations
• Backbone connectivity for Digital Global Gateways
• Programme Support Actions for Operational Digital Platforms and 5G connectivity infrastructures.