Melita Limited is investing €50 million in its networks over the next seven years to deliver the next generation of internet speeds and an unprecedented level of reliability that promises to shape the island’s digital future.
Melita CEO, Harald Roesch today unveiled the ‘Road to 10 Gigabits’, by demonstrating the technology to deliver 10 gigabits — or 10,000 megabits — during a live presentation at Mrieħel in the presence of Economy Minister Silvio Schembri.
This 10 Gbps technology is expected to deliver broadband speeds 10 times faster than today’s fastest nationwide network and will contribute to the development of our society improving the way we all connect, live, work, and play.
Mr Roesch said: “While we already offer exceptional connectivity, we are now working towards the next level of internet speeds. You may ask why we’re doing this, especially since much of the hardware we use at home today has to improve before we can benefit from speeds as high as 10 gigabits.
“The reason is simple: by the time devices have evolved and new applications, such as AI, are more widely used, our network will be ready for the demands that will bring,” he told a press conference this morning.
Melita’s broadband network is today already a standout in Malta and Europe, being the only provider able to deliver 1,000 megabits per second, or one gigabit, service across an entire nation.
This achievement has placed Malta as the number one country in Europe for ultra broadband connectivity — the islands are the only EU country with complete gigabit internet coverage — according to the European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said Malta was a European leader in Gigabit internet coverage and by extension provided excellent eGovernment service quality, a scenario which consistently offered a better, more seamless experience for customers while opening up the opportunity for new technologies and services to be developed.
“It is a result of such investments, that we can continue to lead the digital evolution, especially in terms of AI readiness for adoption and application. It is through such innovation that we can foster a supportive environment for AI development, which will ultimately ensure Malta’s future success and position the country as a flourishing digital island of the future, standing among the best economies, a future-proofed Maltese economy, sustained through digital transformation,” Minister Schembri said.
Melita Chief Technology Officer, Simon Montanaro, explained that the promise of a 10 Gbps evolution is set to deliver even better experiences with delay-sensitive applications, while unlocking the potential for new capabilities and internet experiences across a myriad of industries.
While Melita is focused on Malta’s digital future, sustainability is a cornerstone of its agenda, and through The Melita Foundation it is supporting and collaborating with non-profit organizations, individuals and other stakeholders to develop the digital skills and creativity Malta needs for further growth.
Melita is also the only telco company in Malta to have joined the United Nations’ Science Based Target Initiative, which aims to achieve the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement by reducing greenhouse gasses to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Mr Roesch said: “We are fully committed to this endeavor. We want to shape our digital future, yet we want to do this while minimizing our impact on the environment.”
