Significant progress is being made toward landing a new fiber optic cable connecting the country to the U.S. and other Caribbean neighbors.
The CELIA Submarine Cable System is a major initiative aimed at enhancing digital connectivity across the Caribbean, connecting several key locations in Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba, Curaçao, Martinique, Saint Barthélemy, and the United States.
The project started in August 2025, with a maritime survey for the new CELIA undersea data cable off the coast of Bonaire. A specialized survey vessel between Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire mapped the seabed with advanced sonar equipment to determine the safest and most efficient route for the cable and collect data to guide the cable’s design, installation, and long-term maintenance.
In 2026, work began on the cable, which will span over 3,700 kilometers and is designed to support high-speed internet with an estimated capacity of 170 Terabits per second across eight fiber pairs. DRG represents the Antigua Public Utilities Authority (APUA), which is one of the partners in the regional subsea consortium.
Commercial operations are anticipated to begin in late 2027.
