Exa Infrastructure is expanding its cable landing station (CLS) in Genoa, Italy to make it "fully open."

The company is also set to invest in a new metro network ring to simplify access to other cable systems.

Open CLSs serve as standardized neutral interconnection points that enable service providers to connect their networks to subsea cables. By expanding its capabilities, it is hoped that the site will be able to serve the "future requirements of new subsea cables."

Steve Roberts, SVP of network investments and products at EXA Infrastructure, said: “With the increasing need for Internet resilience and greater data transmission capacity, there has been a move towards open-access models for CLSs to improve service quality, lower costs, and boost network resilience.

"The importance of having diverse connectivity options into Europe via Genoa from a single, pan-European supplier with strong subsea and landing proven experience - versus multi-sourcing from local and regional providers - is really a game changer compared to what was available in the region.”

Once fully completed, the CLS will have access to five transmission routes across Europe.

Genoa has three subsea cables currently landed, including the 2Africa - for which it was the first landing point of the cable, Blue, and Medloop cables. The location is also set to receive the Unitirreno cable which will go live in 2025.

Exa has a network spanning over 125,000km across 34 countries, and operates with more than 500 optical PoPs, with extending routes throughout Europe and North America, crossing the Atlantic via three wholly owned and operated subsea cables.

The company was formed out of European, subsea, and North American network infrastructure and data center assets previously owned by GTT and snapped up by I Squared Capital in September 2021.

Earlier this year, the company sold seven of its data centers to sister company nLighten.