Head of Global Connectivity and Services
Vodafone Carrier Services
Sofia, Bulgaria, has long been known as a key centre for trade and commerce in Europe, linking East and West from as far back as the 12th century and beyond.
More recently, the Balkans region as a whole has seen impressive economic growth and investment, with 150,000 new jobs created in 2018 and over 3% growth.
Today, the increasing adoption of cloud and online activity means that businesses can now cross borders virtually, moving into countries where they might never have had a physical presence.
This combination of factors has significantly increased demand for internet connectivity. Connectivity Service Providers now need faster, more resilient and reliable infrastructure to meet the needs of their customers.
That’s why Vodafone Carrier Services has expanded its IP Transit network to help users enjoy new levels of connectivity in the region.
This new cable route will include 10 Points of Presence (PoPs) across Bulgaria, Hungary, Czech, Romania, Greece, Turkey and Albania.
These PoPs are supported by three DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) fibre optic routes in order to maximise reliability. Each route is capable of trafficking up to eight terabytes of data per second, which equates to around 2,160 4K quality movies every minute.
Whilst the world-class engineering that underpins the network is enormously impressive, it is what the technology enables that captures the imagination. Reliable connectivity that works whenever needed, wherever it is wanted, makes sure that businesses as ready to address these opportunities.
Therefore, the real question you might be asking is what does this mean for the Balkans?
This expansion and upgrade means that businesses can extend beyond the traditional urban hubs and offer improved connectivity to the more rural majority.
This has a remarkable effect on communities, as recent studies in Ireland have shown, allowing businesses to develop without the need to relocate. This is turn keeps the economic benefits in the region.
High quality, affordable international connectivity means that supply chains can be diversified, trade routes expanded and new markets explored.
Local network operators will be able to facilitate these connections, as well as offer bundled services with streaming options, like Netflix, to meet the needs of customers and replicate the success seen by operators in Western and Central Europe.
Multiple fibre paths, automated network engineering and dedicated local peering capacity means that soon The Balkans will have access to a network they can truly rely on.
With Vodafone IP Transit, there has never been a better time to be in business in the Balkans.
Around the globe, our network reaches 184 countries.
We provide the underlying transport network, the virtual overlay, and the platform to prioritise everything.
