For the second year running, EllaLink has been awarded the Global Carrier prize by Capacity Media for "Best Subsea Project of the Year". EllaLink will enable the creation of a research network between Europe and Latin America throughout the system's lifetime. This project has the collaboration of GÉANT and the National Scientific Computing Unit (FCCN) of the Foundation for Science and Technology.
The renewal of this recognition, at the Capacity Europe 2020 virtual conference, marks the acknowledgement of EllaLink's potential, the continuous efforts of the team and its partners, and the great achievements made during the past year. The EllaLink system has made remarkable progress in 2020 and is scheduled to be ready during the first quarter of 2021.
Factors contributing to this award include securing a new station in Sines, which will serve as the European gateway to the EllaLink cable system, and also its commitment to providing open access to its products and services, which recently led to the launch of EllaLink GeoLab, a smart submarine cable initiative that aims to provide the scientific community with real-time, accurate and relevant data along the EllaLink cable route on the seabed.
Tom Fryer, Leader of GÉANT's International Relations department, says, "Receiving the Best Subsea Project award for the second year running is recognition of the fact that the EllaLink cable system brings a dramatic change to the telecommunications ecosystem between Europe and Latin America, bringing previously impossible capabilities and lower latency, benefiting not only research and educational collaborations between the two regions through the Bella project, but also society at large. A fully deserved award."
