Keynote Panel: From ocean floor to bottom line - the future of subsea connectivity

The subsea cable landscape is transforming as hyperscalers become key players in nearly every new system, leveraging customer demand to justify new routes and monetize excess bandwidth. Meanwhile, telcos, IXPs, and data centers are moving from competition to strategic partnerships to boost their offerings and customer value. This panel will explore the evolving roles of telcos amid hyperscaler dominance, varying collaboration models, and the opportunities and risks this shift presents for the telecom ecosystem.  

• How are hyperscalers reshaping subsea markets and business models?  

• What partnership strategies can telcos adopt to stay competitive?  

• How to balance collaboration with control over critical infrastructure?  

• Regulatory and geopolitical impacts on subsea investments and cooperation  

• Ensuring open access, interoperability, and fair pricing in the new landscape  

• The impact of emerging tech on subsea network management and optimization