Maldives Fiber Optic Cable

The Maldives is connected to Sri Lanka via the 840 km Maldives Sri Lanka Cable (MSC), a high-speed submarine fiber optic system operational since February 2021.

Maldives Sri Lanka Cable (MSC)

The MSC system is an 840 km submarine fiber optic cable linking Hulhumalé in the Maldives to Mount Lavinia in Sri Lanka. It consists of four fiber pairs and is designed to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity between the two nations, supporting growing internet demand and modern digital services in the Maldives (WebPages ). The MSC project was implemented by a consortium including Ooredoo Maldives, Dhiraagu Maldives, and Dialog Axiata of Sri Lanka, with Huawei Marine Networks supplying the cable and high-output titanium housing repeaters capable of spans over 130 km. The project cost approximately $22 million and was completed despite logistical challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic (WebPages ).

Technical and Strategic Impact

The MSC system enhances the Maldives' submarine network reliability by providing route diversity and additional capacity for digital services. It also supports 5G infrastructure development and regional enterprise connectivity. The cable is part of a broader strategy to strengthen the Maldives' international bandwidth and digital ecosystem (WebPages ).

Other Submarine Connectivity

Prior to MSC, the Maldives was connected to Sri Lanka via the Dhiraagu–SLT submarine cable system, operational since 2006. This earlier system linked Male' to Colombo and further to global networks including Singapore, Italy, and London, providing the Maldives with access to international internet backbones (WebPages ).

Summary

The deployment of fiber optic cables like MSC and Dhiraagu–SLT has significantly improved the Maldives' internet infrastructure, enabling high-speed broadband, low-latency connectivity, and enhanced digital services. These systems are critical for supporting the country's growing digital economy and regional communications integration (WebPages ).