According to DCD, Portugal’s telecommunications operator Meo has announced plans to develop Porto’s first-ever submarine cable landing station, marking a strategic expansion beyond Lisbon where all current cables land. CEO Ana Figueiredo revealed the news during the Atlantic Convergence conference, though specific details about the CLS investment weren’t shared. The company is simultaneously expanding its Carrier House interconnection center in Linda a Velha, which opened in 2023 with a €3 million investment covering 3,000 square meters. This facility serves as infrastructure for open interconnection between operators and global networks. Meo’s strategy involves replicating this capacity in northern Portugal to handle growing connectivity demands while consolidating Portugal’s position as an international data transit hub between continents.
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Breaking Lisbon’s monopoly
Here’s the thing: Porto currently has zero submarine cables landing there. All of Portugal’s international subsea connectivity flows through Lisbon and surrounding areas further south. That creates a single point of failure and limits geographic diversity for redundancy. By planting a flag in Porto, Meo is basically creating an entirely new connectivity gateway for Portugal’s second-largest city and northern region.
But here’s what makes this interesting: no specific cables have been announced for Porto yet. So Meo is building the landing station without confirmed tenants. That’s either incredibly bold or potentially premature. Are they betting that cable operators will follow once the infrastructure is in place? Or do they have unannounced partnerships in the works?
The Carrier House playbook
Meo isn’t just throwing spaghetti at the wall here. They’ve got a proven model with their Carrier House facility in Linda a Velha. That €3 million investment created a 3,000 square meter interconnection hub that’s been operating since 2023. Now they want to replicate that success in the north.
Look, interconnection is where the real money is in telecom these days. It’s not just about laying cables – it’s about creating the digital equivalent of Grand Central Station where everyone connects to everyone else. By building both the landing station and interconnection facilities, Meo positions itself as the essential middleman for data flowing through Portugal.
Portugal’s digital gateway dreams
Portugal has been pushing hard to become Europe’s alternative connectivity hub, especially for transatlantic traffic. With projects like this Porto landing station, they’re diversifying beyond the Lisbon cluster. That makes sense from a resilience perspective – you don’t want all your international cables coming through one metropolitan area.
The timing is interesting too. With increasing digital demands and more cables planned across the Atlantic, Portugal wants its slice of the action. Meo, as part of Altice Portugal, seems determined to capture that growth by expanding their footprint beyond the five existing facilities listed on Data Center Map.
Who benefits from this move?
Northern Portugal’s tech and business communities stand to gain the most. Currently, if you’re in Porto and need low-latency international connectivity, you’re probably routing through Lisbon. Having direct access to subsea cables could be a game-changer for data-intensive businesses in the region.
And let’s not forget the broader European connectivity picture. More landing stations mean more diversity and potentially better pricing through competition. Though honestly, I’m curious how this plays with Meo’s competitors like NOS. Are we seeing the beginning of a northern connectivity war in Portugal? Only time will tell, but one thing’s clear: Meo isn’t content with just being a traditional telco anymore.
