Further to the announcement made last January with regard to the undertaking of a detailed technical, economical, and financial feasibility study for the laying of a new submarine cable connecting Malta to other alternative locations, the Malta Communications Authority (MCA) has today published a ‘Request for Information’ document in order to seek the views of interested parties, particularly those of owners of existing submarine cables, organisations planning new submarine cables, telecommunications operators, submarine cable vendors and installation and maintenance providers, as well as those of end-users.
Interested parties are invited to submit their response to a number of questions put forward by the Authority, which are related to the existing infrastructure, destination, demand, topology, financing and operating models, associated risks and potential alternative solutions. This exercise is being undertaken as part of the data gathering activities of the study, which is currently underway, in order to get a broader view of the subject and therefore lead to a more detailed analysis.
The aim of the study is to identify the best strategies for deployment of a new submarine cable and compare the various models and recommendations for the optimal technical, commercial and financial solution in order to enhance the resilience and quality of the current international electronic communications connectivity. This is critical if Malta is to remain on the map as the leading EU knowledge economy. Such an initiative would accelerate the evolution of the economy and make Malta a more attractive location in which to develop new and innovative business opportunities, whilst efficiently catering for emerging markets.
The ‘Request for Information’ document is available for download at www.mca.org.mt. Responses will be received until 17.00hrs CET on 12th June 2015.