Connecting Continents: How AFR-IX telecom, Medusa Submarine Cable System, and the Barcelona Cable Landing Station Shape the Future of Mediterranean Connectivity
Trusted by:
AFR-IX Telecom has chosen VC4’s Service2Create to automate and centralize the management of its Pan-African telecom infrastructure.
Alkmaar, The Netherlands – September, 2025
VC4, a leading provider of network inventory and telecom software solutions, is pleased to announce that AFR-IX Telecom, infrastructure and telecom operator, has selected its next-generation platform, Service2Create, to transform the way its network is managed, planned, and operated across Africa. The partnership will enable AFR-IX to centralize network visibility, automate provisioning and capacity workflows, and reinforce service performance across its multilayer international backbone.
Service2Create: One Platform, Total Network Control
The implementation of Service2Create will be tailored to AFR-IX’s operational model and network architecture, covering integration with OSS/BSS systems, legacy data migration, and scalable configuration of its logical and physical network domains. VC4’s deployment team will support AFR-IX through every phase, ensuring a seamless transition and maximum ROI from day one.
AFR-IX Telecom operates a unique infrastructure that combines subsea and terrestrial fiber, with direct interconnectivity to multiple African nations and global gateways in Europe. With growing demands from enterprise and wholesale clients, AFR-IX required a suitable, future-ready platform capable of handling multi-layered inventory, network intelligence, and service orchestration.
Service2Create, developed by VC4, was selected for its proven capabilities in managing complex telecom environments. The platform delivers unified oversight of physical, logical, and service layers; built-in GIS visualizations; impact and dependency analysis; and complete lifecycle control over assets and connections.
“This collaboration is about more than software, it’s about unlocking AFR-IX’s full operational potential,” said Ricardo Varela van Oordt, VP of Global Sales at VC4. “Service2Create gives operators like AFR-IX the power to automate intelligently, respond faster, and plan networks more strategically.”
This partnership underscores AFR-IX’s commitment to driving excellence in African connectivity through innovation and operational discipline. As broadband demand grows and services diversify, AFR-IX’s investment in Service2Create positions it to respond with agility, scale, and insight.
“We are honoured to support AFR-IX in its mission to deliver cutting-edge infrastructure across Africa,” said Mike Dorland, CEO of VC4. “With Service2Create at the core of their operations, they’ll be empowered to grow, adapt, and lead in an increasingly dynamic telecom landscape.”
“At AFR-IX Telecom, we are constantly looking for tools that allow us to improve efficiency and deliver more agile and transparent services to our customers. By adopting VC4’s Service2Create, we gain a comprehensive platform that strengthens our ability to manage inventory, network intelligence, and service orchestration in a unified way. This translates into greater control, enhanced visibility, and a solid technological foundation to continue growing alongside the needs of our customers around the globe”, stated Alejandro Caballero, Functional Process Analyst.
About AFR-IX Telecom
AFR-IX Telecom is a pioneering Pan-African telecommunications operator delivering reliable, high-capacity data services across Africa and to the rest of the world. Through its fully-owned infrastructure—which uniquely combines subsea and terrestrial fiber—AFR-IX enables international and regional connectivity across dozens of African countries, including underserved and emerging markets.
Headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, AFR-IX operates an extensive backbone that spans more than 120 Points of Presence (PoPs) across Africa and Europe. The company provides a comprehensive portfolio of services to enterprises, governments, and internet service providers (ISPs). This includes IP Transit, DIA or L2-L3 MPLS.
What sets AFR-IX apart is its integrated infrastructure model and its commitment to operational excellence and local support. As a licensed operator in multiple African jurisdictions, AFR-IX plays a vital role in advancing digital transformation, promoting intercontinental connectivity, and bridging the digital divide across Africa. Its vision found a natural evolution in leading the construction of the Barcelona Cable Landing Station, the first open CLS in Spain as well as it’s investment in the Medusa Submarine Cable System.
Medusa Submarine Cable System: connecting the two shores of the Mediterranean
Medusa Submarine Cable System is the most ambitious submarine project ever undertaken in the Mediterranean. When fully deployed, Medusa will span over 8,700 kilometers, connecting 12 countries (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta, Greece, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, and Egypt) via submerged fiber-optic links.
This open access infrastructure is designed to deliver 20 Tbps per fiber pair, enabling multi-terabit international traffic with maximum resilience. The cable system supports direct landings in key Mediterranean and North African locations, as mentioned above.
Barcelona Cable Landing Station: Europe’s New Digital Gateway
Strategically located just outside Barcelona, the Barcelona Cable Landing Station is Spain’s first carrier-neutral, purpose-built submarine cable landing station. The facility is designed to offer open access, modular scalability, and direct interconnection with local data centers, IXPs, and long-haul terrestrial routes. With a Tier III certification and sustainable cooling and power systems, the Barcelona CLS offers landing and colocation services under a transparent, open-access regime. Unlike legacy CLS facilities tied to single operators, Barcelona CLS allows multiple cables and operators to coexist, interconnect, and grow without bottlenecks.
About VC4’s Service2Create
VC4 is a leading provider of advanced network inventory and operations software for the global telecommunications sector. For over two decades, VC4 has empowered telecom operators, fiber network providers, and utilities to manage their complex infrastructures through intelligent, centralized platforms that eliminate silos, streamline workflows, and enable smarter decision-making.
At the heart of VC4’s portfolio is Service2Create, a next-generation platform purpose-built for managing physical, logical, and service layers across multi-technology, multi-vendor networks. The platform integrates real-time inventory, GIS-based mapping, capacity planning, impact analysis, and provisioning automation, all within a single source of truth.
With customers in more than 20 countries, VC4 supports Tier 1, Tier 2, and regional operators seeking scalable, future-ready OSS tools that reduce operational costs and enhance service quality. VC4’s solutions are trusted in greenfield and legacy environments alike, and the company is known for its agile deployments, flexible integrations, and deep telecom domain expertise.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, VC4 is committed to supporting and accelerating the digital infrastructure of the future – efficiently, transparently, and intelligently.
https://www.vc4.com
Media Contact AFR-IX
Andrea Guinó,
Marketing & Communications Manager at AFR-IX telecom group
marketing@afr-ix.com
Media Contact VC4
Melanie Gomersall
Head of Marketing, VC4
marketing@vc4.com
