Kazakhstan completes Sumgait-Aktau cable, adding 16 Tbps Asia-Europe transit route
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Kazakhstan has completed the Sumgait-Aktau submarine cable across the Caspian Sea, providing 16 terabits per second of capacity for Asia-Europe data transit, Shavkat Sabirov, president of the Kazakhstan Internet Association, said. The link positions Kazakhstan as the largest transit country for data in Asia and opens a shorter route to Europe for neighboring nations, he told a press conference. The achievement comes as Sabirov called for upgrading the country’s aging internet infrastructure, which he said is nearing its limits.
The Subsea Cable
The cable runs from Sumgait, Azerbaijan, to Aktau, Kazakhstan, across the Caspian Sea. It delivers 16 terabits per second of bandwidth, significantly expanding Kazakhstan's international data capacity. The project was completed recently, according to Shavkat Sabirov, speaking at a Sputnik Kazakhstan press conference. The link provides a direct route from Azerbaijan to Italy and onward to the rest of Europe.
Transit Hub Status
Sabirov stated that Kazakhstan becomes the largest transit country for data in Asia due to the new cable. The country already supplies nearly 100% of internet traffic to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Tajikistan at competitive prices. The cable enhances Kazakhstan's ability to sell transit capacity to neighboring countries and strengthens its position as a regional internet hub.
Infrastructure Upgrade Calls
Sabirov also urged Kazakhstan to improve internet quality and speed, noting that the current infrastructure is reaching its peak. He called for updating communication channels, transitioning to a new IP addressing scheme, and establishing traffic exchange points in all major cities. The upgrade is necessary to keep pace with growing demand and technological changes.
What's Next
The government has not yet announced specific funding or timelines for the infrastructure upgrades. It remains unclear when regulatory and investment plans will align to meet the sector’s growing needs.
1 source
Kazakhstan completes Sumgait-Aktau cable, adding 16 Tbps Asia-Europe transit route
