Four years ago, Malta strengthened its digital sovereignty with the commissioning of a €25 million express data highway. Today, the PEACE cable subsystem La Valette continues to directly link the island to France and Egypt, with onward connections to Africa, the Middle East, and Asia thus providing a strategic alternative to traditional Italy-based routes.
This investment made GO the only Maltese operator with three submarine cables and fundamentally reshaped the country’s connectivity profile, boosting Malta’s resilience as a digital hub and reinforcing the economy’s reliance on secure international data links.
“International connectivity lies at the heart of Malta’s digital and economic strength. This is why GO’s €40 million investment in submarine infrastructure over the past two decades has been so critical for the country’s future,” explains Patrick Gatt, Chief of Wholesale at GO.
Diversifying Malta’s digital routes
The La Valette subsystem lands on Malta’s western coast, giving the island a completely different international route from its existing cables, a critical factor in reducing structural risk.
Its corresponding landing point in Marseille integrates directly into one of Europe’s most interconnected data-centre ecosystems, providing Malta with its shortest and fastest direct route to a major European hub. Round-trip latency between Malta and Marseille is just over 17 milliseconds, which significantly improved performance for financial services, gaming platforms, enterprise cloud applications, and international carriers operating from the island.
“Physical diversity matters. Having an independent landing from all other systems, which typically landed in Sicily, strengthens Malta’s national resilience in ways that are often overlooked,” adds Gatt.
This latest investment followed a deliberate strategy to future-proof Malta’s connectivity. Beyond La Valette, GO maintains two additional submarine cables, supporting over 500 international partners worldwide and delivering more than eight billion megabytes of roaming and enterprise data annually.
Recent global events have reaffirmed that telecommunications are no longer optional services, but foundational infrastructures. From finance and gaming, to logistics, remote work, and public services, every sector depends on reliable, high-capacity international connectivity. For Malta, insularity presents a structural risk that must be mitigated through redundancy and alternative routes.
“Strengthening international connectivity with a third independent landing is not simply a commercial objective; it is a national priority embedded in Malta’s long-term economic and competitiveness agenda,” explains Patrick Gatt.
Digital connectivity: a national imperative
GO has consistently invested ahead of market needs. Over the past two decades, the company has invested more than €100 million in local digital infrastructure and over €40 million in global submarine and network projects.
“Despite the country’s geographical limitations, these investments position Malta as a significantly credible digital hub. These cables are not isolated assets, but foundational enablers of GO’s broader international network, maintaining on-net presence across key European markets and the Mediterranean.”
“The scale of this infrastructure allows Malta’s businesses to operate globally without the prohibitive risks traditionally associated with international connectivity. Enterprise-grade data services, roaming and international voice traffic all rely on these submarine systems,” adds Mr Gatt.
Connectivity as an Economic Multiplier
Submarine cables are capital-intensive, multi-year projects requiring careful planning, technical expertise, and regulatory coordination.
Strong international connectivity has become a decisive factor in attracting Foreign Direct Investment. Alongside talent, stability, and regulation, investors increasingly assess whether a country can provide secure, low-latency digital links to global markets. GO’s investments directly enhance Malta’s attractiveness for high-value sectors, from fintech and gaming to cloud-based enterprises.
“This is why GO is not a passive participant, but a direct investor, owner and long-term steward of Malta’s international connectivity infrastructure. Through these projects, we are protecting our growing economy by offering unparalleled connectivity capabilities.”
“This is further strengthened by the fact that GO is well-recognized internationally. Our GO brand carries credibility beyond Malta’s shores because it reflects decades of investment, operational reliability and trusted partnerships across international markets.”
A long-term national commitment
Historically, Malta has positioned itself as a strategic node in the Mediterranean. In the digital age, that role must be reinforced through sustained investment, foresight, and infrastructure development.
GO’s three submarine cables are Malta’s modern digital trade routes, designed to ensure the island remains competitive, connected, and resilient. As global data flows grow and geopolitical dynamics reshape digital dependencies, the ability to stand on multiple, physically diverse international connections becomes a key strength.
“GO remains committed to continue investing in digital infrastructure. We are not just connecting an island to the rest of the world, but helping to secure the country’s economic future, thus living up to our purpose to drive a digital Malta where no one is left behind,” concluded Gatt.
