Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have started deploying the first-ever fiber-optic cable between the countries, Kazakhtelecom CEO Bagdat Mussin announced on his Telegram channel.
The cable will run along the seabed of the Caspian Sea, from the Kazakh city of Aktau to the Azerbaijani city of Sumgayit. The project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The cable’s capacity is designed for many years to come and expected to be no less than 400 terabits per second.
«Today marks the start of the most interesting part of the project. A special vessel has departed from the port of Bautino, carrying equipment to study the seabed, examining the terrain, depths, underwater currents and fissures,» Mussin emphasized.
According to him, all of this is needed to determine the final route of the cable and its configuration. He also noted that coastal areas have already been surveyed together with colleagues from AzerTelecom.
«Once the first byte passes through this link, a new chapter will begin in the region’s digital history,» Mussin concluded.
In August 2023, the leading telecom operators of Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan — Kazakhtelecom and AzerTelecom — signed an agreement to establish a joint venture responsible for building a cable along the seabed of the Caspian Sea.
