Liberty Networks is to deploy a new subsea cable linking El Salvador to Panama.

The Latin America and the Caribbean-focused firm this week announced it has been selected by El Salvador’s telecom regulator SIGET (General Superintendence of Electricity and Telecommunications) to construct and deploy the country’s first submarine cable.

The new cable system is expected to be operational by H2 2028. Details on landing points were not shared.

“We are proud to have been selected for this historic project that will advance El Salvador’s digital future,” said Ray Collins, Liberty Latin America’s SVP of infrastructure and corporate strategy. “We thank SIGET for their trust and look forward to the next phase of work to deploy the country’s first submarine cable."

"This investment goes beyond building critical infrastructure; it lays the foundation for economic growth, innovation, and opportunity for all Salvadorans. Liberty Networks has a long track record of managing complex subsea systems with exceptional reliability and performance, expertise that will ensure the successful deployment and long-term operation of El Salvador’s new subsea cable.”

El Salvador currently relies exclusively on land-based links with neighboring nations and has no direct international subsea connections.

Liberty’s fiber network in the country runs through Santa Ana, San Salvador, San Miguel into Guatemala and Honduras.

The southern coast of Panama is the landing point for five current and one planned cables, all around Panama City.

Liberty Networks, part of Liberty Latin America, is an infrastructure and enterprise connectivity provider in Latin America and the Caribbean, connecting around 40 countries with 50,000km of subsea fiber optic cables and 17,000km of terrestrial networks. It provides capacity on the MANTA and Maya cables in the region.