Liberty Networks has launched a subsea cable system project that it says will double internet capacity for the Cayman Islands and strengthen regional connectivity.
Once laid, MAYA-1.2 will span 2,386 kilometres and maintain three key landing points: Hollywood, Florida; Puerto Cortés, Honduras; and Half Moon Bay, Grand Cayman.
The company told Cayman Independent that it has signed the contract into force (CIF) with its supplier, marking the beginning of the project.
Completion is expected by the first half of 2026, with Alcatel Submarine Networks serving as the lead technology and marine services partner, a press release said on 26 August.
“Submarine networks are, and will remain, critical infrastructure for the region,” said Ray Collins, Liberty Latin America’s senior vice-president of infrastructure and corporate strategy.
“MAYA-1.2 embodies our commitment to advancing the region’s digital ecosystem, creating a more powerful, efficient, and resilient backbone for connectivity.”
The upgrade represents part of a US$250 million investment in regional infrastructure announced by Liberty Latin America, complementing the existing Cayman-Jamaica Fibre System.
Key improvements for the Cayman Islands include expanded capacity up to four terabits per second in each direction, more than double today’s capacity.
The system will reduce latency to 19 milliseconds on the short path, down from 21.4ms, and to 29ms on the long path, compared to the current 70ms.
Liberty Networks will serve as primary operator and owner of the new system, working with consortium partners to strengthen international connectivity for businesses, governments and communities across the region.
The company is also taking a sustainable approach by removing and scrapping the southern portion of the original MAYA-1 trunk to make way for the MANTA pan-regional subsea cable system, which will provide additional international routes for the Cayman Islands.
Collins emphasised the company’s long-term commitment to serving the territory: “For more than 28 years, we have reliably served the connectivity needs of the Cayman Islands, and with this investment, together with MANTA, we are ensuring those needs will be met for generations to come.”
Liberty Networks operates nearly 50,000km of submarine fibre optic cable and 17,000km of terrestrial networks across more than 30 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean.
