• Announced during the MWC 2025 in Barcelona, the MoU envisages a strategic collaboration for international Internet traffic in the Mediterranean region

Sparkle, the first international service provider in Italy and among the top global operators, and Turkcell (NYSE:TKC) (BIST:TCELL), Türkiye's leading communications and technology company, announced during the MWC 2025 event in Barcelona the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a subsea cable solution in the Mediterranean.

This exclusive collaboration leverages the strengths of both companies to deliver uninterrupted, high-quality internet services, reinforcing their strategic positions and improving connectivity in the region. The MoU focuses on building a 4,000 km diversified route linking Türkiye with the European telecommunications ecosystem through the construction of a state-of-the-art subsea cable between Izmir and Chania, capable of carrying more than 25 Tbps per fiber pair and leveraging Sparkle’s BlueMed Cable System to further extend between Chania and major Points of Presence in Milan.

Enrico Bagnasco, CEO of Sparkle, commented: “We are very pleased with this agreement with Turkcell which confirms Sparkle’s commitment to strengthen connectivity in the Mediterranean basin. Thanks to a unique low-latency path between Izmir and Chania, integrated with BlueMed, we create a new alternative digital corridor for communications between Europe, the Middle East and Asia. This collaboration is also part of the development of our GreenMed project which will further stimulate digital acceleration throughout the region and beyond.”

Dr. Ali Taha Koç, CEO of Turkcell, emphasizing that this important project will be completed and operational within a few years, stated: "This subsea cable solution, with its impressive capacity between Izmir and Chania and a total distance of 4,000 km, offers a promising alternative route to the existing ones, enhancing geographical redundancy and ensuring that the international data connection remains uninterrupted even in the event of disruptions along traditional paths. This project not only strengthens the resilience of global data infrastructure but also provides a robust option for hyperscalers and content providers seeking reliable and secure connectivity between the East and the West. In a world where the demand for seamless, high-capacity internet connectivity is ever-growing, this project plays a crucial role in reinforcing the stability of international communications."