Melita invests €50mn to keep Malta on high position in Europe

Melita‘s CEO, Harald Roesch, has announced the “Road to 10 Gigabits” initiative during a live presentation in Mriehel, in the presence of the Economy Minister, Silvio Schembri. This 10 Gbps (gigabytes per second) technology is expected to deliver broadband speed 10 times more than present nationwide network and will contribute to development of our society thereby improving the way we all connect, live, work, and play.

“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 artificial intelligence (AI), are more widely used, our network will be ready for the demands that will bring,” adds Roesch.

Melita’s broadband network is already a standout in Malta and Europe, being the only provider able to deliver 1,000 megabits per second, or one gigabit, service across nation. This achievement has placed Malta as number one country in Europe for ultra broadband connectivity. The islands are the only EU (European Union) country with complete gigabit internet coverage, according to European Commission’s Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI).

“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.” says economy minister Silvio Schembri.

“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,” adds Schembri.

“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.” says Simon Montanaro, chief technology officer at Melita.

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 organisations, 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 goals of Paris Climate Agreement by reducing greenhouse gases to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

“We are fully committed to this endeavor. We want to shape our digital future, yet we want to do this while minimising our impact on the environment.” adds Roesch.

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