ROMSAR 2

Overview

ROMSAR 2 is a domestic submarine cable system connecting multiple landing points entirely within Italy. Serving an intra-Italian corridor, the cable links the Italian mainland with island and coastal locations in the Tyrrhenian Sea, providing connectivity across this segment of the western Mediterranean coast.

Route and Landings

All four landing points on the ROMSAR 2 system are located in Italy. On the mainland, the cable lands at Civitavecchia, a port city on the Tyrrhenian coast north of Rome. The cable also reaches Sassari, located on the island of Sardinia. Additional Italian landing points include Giglio, a small island in the Tuscan Archipelago, and La Maddalena, an island off the northeastern tip of Sardinia.

Ownership and Operators

ROMSAR 2 is owned and operated by Sparkle, the international carrier subsidiary of Telecom Italia. Sparkle operates an extensive portfolio of submarine cable infrastructure across the Mediterranean and beyond, and its ownership of ROMSAR 2 reflects its longstanding presence in Italy's domestic connectivity landscape.

Status and Timeline

ROMSAR 2 became ready for service in 1996, making it one of the earlier submarine cable systems to land in Italy. As of the time of writing, the cable has been in operation for approximately 30 years, a notable period of continuous service for a system of this type.

Regional Context

Italy hosts a substantial number of submarine cable systems, with landings spread across numerous coastal and island locations. ROMSAR 2 is a domestic system focused on intra-Italian connectivity, which sets it apart from the large international cables that also land in Italy. Peers such as 2Africa, Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), IMEWE, and MedNautilus Submarine System all serve Italy as part of far longer international routes, while ROMSAR 2 remains focused on connecting Italian coastal and island communities to one another. The planned Medusa Submarine Cable System will in time add further submarine capacity to the Italian network.

Strategic Role

By connecting Civitavecchia on the mainland with Sassari and La Maddalena on Sardinia and Giglio in the Tuscan Archipelago, ROMSAR 2 provides submarine link capacity between Italian island communities and the mainland coast. This domestic focus distinguishes it from the broader international cable infrastructure that uses Italy as a transit or termination point, and it represents an early example of submarine connectivity deployed specifically for intra-Italian purposes.