Digital Realty, a provider of cloud- and carrier-neutral data centre, colocation, and interconnection systems, has announced a collaboration with Vodafone Greece, a telecommunications, IoT, and 5G connectivity provider, to enhance Crete’s digital infrastructure and connectivity. This collaboration, according to Digital Realty, “underscores both companies’ commitment to fostering Crete’s emergence as a key connectivity hub in the Mediterranean.”
As part of this collaboration, Vodafone Greece will establish a point of presence (PoP) at Digital Realty’s HER1 data centre in Heraklion, the first carrier-neutral interconnection point for all cable landing stations in Crete. The facility will host customers’ submarine line terminating equipment, creating a link in the island’s connectivity ecosystem.
Vodafone Greece intends to deploy a dual-route connectivity system between HER1 and its cable landing station in Tympaki in southern Crete to enhance capacity and resilience. These routes will also serve as backhaul services for major subsea cables landing in Crete by connecting to the HER1 data centre.
Connectivity between Chania and Heraklion should also become more robust due to the Vodafone Greece terrestrial network, enhancing the infrastructure for cloud service providers, large enterprises, internet service providers, content delivery networks, and carriers. These developments also supplement Vodafone Greece’s existing connectivity services between Athens and Crete through Chania in the west and Sitia in the east.
“This collaboration with Vodafone Greece marks a transformative moment for Crete’s digital infrastructure,” comments Alexandros Bechrakis, Managing Director of Digital Realty in Greece. “Our HER1 data centre is designed to establish Crete as a strategic digital hub which requires close collaboration with local, regional, and global partners. By supporting critical landing cables and enhancing regional connectivity, we’re reinforcing Crete’s position as a gateway to Southern Europe and beyond. This collaboration with Vodafone Greece reflects our shared commitment to delivering world-class digital services and infrastructure that empower local communities and businesses.”
Nikos Plevris, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone Greece, states, “Our partnership with Digital Realty is another critical step in what we have managed to implement through the construction and operation of our submarine cable landing station in Tympaki, Crete. Having agreements in place on the interconnection for some of the largest subsea fibre optic cables in the world, we connect the country with the rest of the world, bolstering Greece’s digital economy and offering new opportunities for our communities, partners, and the entire country. [By] combining our infrastructure in the area with Digital Realty’s, it is certain that we will build something truly impactful, and we are looking forward to seeing the results of this collaboration.”
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