Nikos Plevris, Network Director at Vodafone Greece, highlighted Crete’s strategic role as an international connectivity hub and a pillar for the development of critical telecommunications infrastructure at The Economist’s conference “Investing in Change: How Crete is Being Transformed," held in Chania.
According to the relevant press release, during the session titled “Crete: connectivity, telecommunications, and innovation transforming the island,” Mr. Plevris emphasized that, given the current geopolitical challenges, it is now essential to develop and expand alternative data transmission routes.
In his remarks, he referred to the pivotal role Crete plays in Europe’s new digital geography, as a natural gateway connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. He highlighted the strategic role of Vodafone, which has been investing for years in submarine fiber-optic cable systems, having developed and operating an extensive, state-of-the-art network of such infrastructure.
Particular emphasis was placed on Vodafone Greece’s privately owned submarine fiber-optic cable landing station in Tympaki, Crete, which enhances Greece’s international connectivity. The station is connected to Heraklion via new infrastructure comprising 30 kilometers of conduit and 280 kilometers of fiber-optic network, creating a robust telecommunications backbone for the country.
As noted in the announcement, the station already hosts 2Africa, the world’s largest submarine fiber-optic cable system, through which Greece is connected to 33 countries across three continents (Europe, Africa, and Asia). At the same time, special mention was made of the contribution of the India-Europe Xpress (IEX), which supports the connection between Europe and India via Greece.
Regarding privately owned submarine cable systems, Vodafone Greece has completed the construction of submarine and terrestrial fiber-optic cables in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, with a total length of 1,500 km. This investment connects Attica with the islands of the Cyclades, the Dodecanese, and Crete, as well as Corfu with the mainland. In this way, it ushers in a new era of connectivity for approximately 1,000,000 residents, thousands of businesses, and many millions of visitors to 10 Greek islands, through access to next-generation digital services via the Vodafone network.
Referring to the next steps in the company’s plan, Mr. Plevris noted that planning has begun for the construction of another submarine fiber-optic cable system that will include two marine sections measuring 129 and 163 kilometers in length, as well as terrestrial connections via the island of Milos and landing points in Crete and Attica. The Thetis Express will have a total length of approximately 340 kilometers and will connect data centers in Heraklion, Crete, and Athens, with the capacity to transmit up to 180 terabits of data per second.
Crete is evolving into a strategic digital gateway of international importance for Vodafone Greece. Through targeted investments in connectivity infrastructure, the conditions are being created for Greece to play a pivotal role in data transmission across three continents, bolstering the country’s growth, resilience, and digital competitiveness.