Vodafone is partnering with global internet exchange NetIX to offer wholesale customers network-enhancing capacity to and from Greece.
The partnership complements the new subsea and land-based fibre optic routes Vodafone is constructing in the country, connecting both the mainland and Greece’s numerous islands. Together, these initiatives will allow Vodafone’s Carrier Services business to offer third-party ISPs, content providers, and other operators a wider range of wholesale interconnectivity services within Greece and internationally.
Dual approach: self-build and partnerships
With internet usage in Greece reaching 87% of the population by late 2025 (DataReportal – Global Digital Insights), Vodafone has adopted a dual approach: enhancing its own infrastructure and creating new partnerships to meet this demand.
Earlier this week, Vodafone’s Carrier Services unit unveiled plans for a new, fast, high-capacity subsea optical fibre cable system in Greece, linking Crete with the mainland. Called the Thetis Express, the subsea cable system aims to position Greece as a major link in Europe’s digital corridor to other continents.
It is the latest subsea cable system Vodafone is adding to its portfolio of connectivity services serving both retail and wholesale customers, as well as governments and public sector organisations. Vodafone already has capacity on more than 70 subsea cable systems – the backbone of the internet – and global telecoms infrastructure that connects to over 100 countries.
From seabed to stars
Now, Vodafone is extending its reach to more places in Greece using a mix of new optical-fibre terrestrial and subsea cables, and in the future, emerging satellite services like space-based direct-to-device mobile broadband. In total, Vodafone is establishing four high-speed wholesale routes, including the ‘Thetis Express’, as well as three land-based optical fibre transport cables will enhance resilience and increase capacity between Greece and the rest of Europe, as well as Southeast Asia.
Fanan Henriques, Product and International Business Director, Vodafone Business, said: “The combination of partnerships, subsea network expansion, and terrestrial fibre-optic build-out enables Vodafone to deliver new digital services for customers while improving resilience and supporting connectivity within and beyond Greece.”
The Thetis Express will be capable of transmitting up to 180 terabits of data per second, enhancing internet speed and reliability for telecom users in Greece and supporting the digital economy. In future, it will also connect to the larger 2Africa cable system, which will link 33 countries across Africa, Europe, and Asia.
NetIX partnership
By partnering with NetIX, Vodafone’s wholesale customers have an additional way to scale their capacity at the point where their networks connect with Vodafone in Greece, while continuing to benefit from Vodafone Business’s global internet transit network. The provision of this carrier-grade backbone infrastructure, operating at speeds of 100 gigabits per second (Gbps) or 400 Gbps, will enable Vodafone Business to extend the reach of its cloud-based software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN) and managed private network services across the country.
Dean Belev, VP of Connectivity at NetIX, added: “Vodafone is one of the most respected names in global communications, and we are delighted that the company has chosen NetIX as its partner in Greece. This collaboration reflects the trust Vodafone has placed in us to serve its valued peers, and we look forward to ensuring continued seamless connectivity for networks across the region and beyond.”