Türk Telekom International has signed the C&MA (Construction and Maintenance Agreement) and becomes a full member of the SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable consortium. SEA-ME-WE 5 system which is set to start operating at the end of 2016 will connect 18 countries from Southeast Asia to Western Europe with an approximate length of 20,000 km.
Türk Telekom International, the subsidiary within Türk Telekom Group which is responsible for the sales and marketing of international wholesale voice and data infrastructure services, becomes a full member of the SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable consortium.
The unique submarine cable system designed to provide the latest and upgradable technologies is set to start operating at the end of 2016. The system with 24 Tbps design capacity will connect 18 countries from Southeast Asia to Western Europe with an approximate length of 20,000 km.
Türk Telekom International will bring Marmaris, a town in Muğla, as a new landing station to SEA-ME-WE 5 submarine cable system that will provide an alternative route via Turkey to neighboring countries as well as Western Europe and Africa.
Rami Aslan, CEO of Türk Telekom Group, stated the importance of submarine backbones providing themost effective intercontinental transfer of exponentially increasing voice and data traffic, and added, “This project will provide significant short and longer term strategic advantages for Turkey, making Turkey a key global communication and data hub. SEA-ME-WE-5 will be a state-of-the-art submarine cable system for connecting West European, African, the Middle Eastern, Asian and South East Asian markets. We are glad to join the consortium which will further strengthen our capacity in the regions we operate”.
Cengiz Öztelcan, CEO of Türk Telekom International stated that joining the SEA-ME-WE 5 consortium is an important part of Türk Telekom International’s strategy to strengthen Turkey’s role as a bridge from Western Europe all the way to South Eastern Asia. He added that “with the SEA-ME-WE 5 cable system,we will strengthen our unique terrestrial network that ties 3 continents together through submarine capacities, and continue to provide our innovative, reliable and extensive services to our customers in an ever faster and stronger infrastructure.”
The name of the consortium, SEA-ME-WE 5, stands for the first letters of South-East Asia, Middle-Eastand Western-Europe.
About Türk Telekom Group
Türk Telekom Group, the leading communication and convergence technology group in Turkey, provides integrated telecommunication services from PSTN and GSM to broadband internet. As of December 31, 2014; Türk Telekom Groupcompanies have 13.2 mn Fixed Access Lines, 7.6 mn Broadband Connections and 16.3 mn Mobile Subscribers. Group companies have a modern network infrastructure covering the whole country and offer a wide variety of services to residential and commercial customers all over Turkey. Apart from 90 % shares in Avea, one of the three GSM operators in Turkey, Türk Telekom owns 100% of broadband provider TTNET, convergence technologies company Argela, IT solutions provider Innova,online education company Sebit, call center company AssisTT and wholesale data and capacity service provider company Türk Telekom International AT AG and its subsidiaries. Türk Telekom also has an indirect minority share in Albtelecom, the Albanian incumbent telecom operator. Türk Telekom shares are listed in Borsa Istanbul since May 2008.
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