Int’l Bytes: FLAG, DE-CIX, GTT, Samsung

Some subsea expansion, an IX project, a new AI security launch, and some new $ going into AI digital infrastructure.

FLAG announced two significant investments on the subsea cable front today. They will be participating in the MIST and I2SEA cable systems, expanding on their earlier purchase of a fiber pair on the ECHO transpacific system. MIST will boost their capacity between Mumbai and Singapore, while I2SEA woo connect Machilipatnam, Chennai, and Singapore. The project also involves terrestrial segments beween Mumbai and Chennai. The infrastructure should be in place by 2029.

DE-CIX is taking its internet exchange technology out into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. They have signed a letter of intent with Cabo Verde Telecom to build an interconnection corridor between southern Europe, West Africa, and Latin America. CVTelecom will provide transport capacity between Lisbon and São Paulo, while DE-CIX has key IX infrastructure in Frankfurt, Madrid, Marseille, New York, and São Paulo.

GTT has launched a new security platform. GTT Defense Halo leverages AI-native capabilities to offer a dedicated instance for each multinational organization. The idea is to identify vulnerabilities and behavior anomalies while providing a real-time model of the customer’s network. GTT is leveraging its AI Factory, which is embedded in its global backbone and hosted in the US, UK, and EU.

And Samsung is making its own move into the AI infrastructure space. They are committing $1B to Helix, a vehicle created by KKR. Other investors in Helix’s $10B+ war chest include NVIDIA, Vistra, and the Kuwait Investment Authority. Specific details on what Helix will invest in are still on the drawing board for the most part, but I’m sure we will hear more going forward.

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