The acquisition of India-based Openbyte is key in supporting Aqua Comms’ global connectivity expansion plans, providing a carrier-neutral platform in India for Aqua Comms services.

Aqua Comms, a leading provider of global subsea connectivity services today announced the successful acquisition of Openbyte Infrastructure Private Limited, an India-based licensed telecom company focused on providing neutral, open access landing solutions for submarine cables.

Submarine cables form the bedrock of necessary international telecommunications and data infrastructure on which much of the modern economy runs and Aqua Comms and Openbyte share a vision to make the benefits of such investments accessible to all in a neutral and cost effective manner.

Key to the acquisition is the appointment of Amit Vyas as CEO, India and Regional Chief Business Development Officer for Aqua Comms. Amit will be supported by Neeraj Katiyar, CTO, India and Chief Global Architect for Subsea Cables, who will be responsible for the technical aspects of regional projects.

Amit Vyas commented “Openbyte was founded to provide cost effective, open access solutions to make submarine cable capacity accessible to all interested stakeholders, enhance the digital infrastructure of the country and eliminate bottlenecks. I’m absolutely delighted to join the team at Aqua Comms who share our vision. Over the next 5 to 7 years the international digital infrastructure in India will be greatly enhanced and we at Aqua Comms will be at the forefront of bringing out this change for the better.

Nigel Bayliff, CEO of Aqua Comms said “This is an important acquisition as we continue to execute our plans to expand the Aqua Comms business into new geographies and as we build out our global network. Amit & Neeraj are well recognised industry professionals and bring with them rich global experience, particularly in India, Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. We welcome them to the Aqua Comms family and look forward to doing some great work together.”

Alan Harper, Chairman of Aqua Comms added “Aqua Comms’ goal is to address the needs of its customers by investing in global subsea infrastructure and this acquisition will help to establish it as a leader in providing global subsea capacity, whilst retaining the core principle of neutrality in its service offering. With our investment in EMIC-1, we are committed to the Indian market, a cornerstone of our ambitious global expansion plans. I’m excited for future developments as we continue to expand across this region and beyond.”