02/10/2026
Advancing resilient and interconnected digital infrastructure across the Caribbean, Mr. Rodney Taylor, Secretary-General, Caribbean Telecommunications Union (CTU), met with representatives of EllaLink to discuss opportunities to strengthen digital connectivity and infrastructure across the Caribbean and French Guiana.
The discussions follow the formal launch of the EllaLink’s Caribbean Gateway, announced during CTU ICT Week 2026 in Cayenne, French Guiana. The proposed open-access, carrier-neutral submarine cable system is planned to connect Cayenne with Martinique and Guadeloupe, with a western segment extending to Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire. The wider system is intended to provide connectivity pathways across the Caribbean and the Guianas, with onward routes to Europe, Brazil and North America.
With the Gateway now entering its development phase, the initiative represents an opportunity to strengthen route diversity and resilience for Caribbean markets, particularly as the region plans for growing digital demand and the future replacement of ageing submarine cable infrastructure. EllaLink is targeting entry into service by the end of 2029, subject to partner commitments and financing.
The discussions also included the potential implementation of an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in French Guiana, with EllaLink indicating its support for the initiative. A local IXP would complement international submarine connectivity by enabling greater local Internet interconnection and supporting a more resilient digital ecosystem.
For the CTU, these developments align with the organisation’s ongoing work to advance submarine cable diversity, resilient telecommunications infrastructure, open access and regional cooperation.
At CTU ICT Week 2026, Caribbean Ministers endorsed the Regional Digital Infrastructure Plan for the Caribbean developed by the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank, and adopted resolutions supporting greater resilience and submarine cable diversity across the region.
The CTU continues to bring together governments, regulators, operators and regional and international partners to help advance shared infrastructure priorities and strengthen the foundations of the Caribbean’s digital future.
Learn more about the EllaLink Caribbean Gateway: https://subtelforum.com/ellalink-launches-caribbean-gateway-development/
From left to right: Vincent Gatineau, Senior Vice President, Subsea Infrastructure Development, EllaLink; Marie-Lucienne Rattier, Chief Executive Officer, SPLANG; Steven Tjitrotaroeno, Chief Commercial Officer, Telesur; and Mr. Rodney Taylor, Secretary-General, CTU.