Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Sep. 30, 2008

Phase One of the most ambitious submarine fiber optic cable in the world is now complete. It directly connects mainland China, the United States, South Korea and Taiwan.

Verizon today announced the completion of its Trans-Pacific Express fiber optic cable system. With more than 11,000 miles of fiber optic undersea cable, this will play a driving role in international telecommunications and broadband Internet service in the Asia-Pacific region.

Before this major undersea cable project, the region was served by a single, low-capacity cable between mainland China and the U.S., causing most traffic between the two countries to have to pass through Hong Kong or Japan, which greatly limited data transit speeds and throughput in both directions.

Overall, 6 international telecommunications carriers initially invested in the half-billion-dollar project, including China NetCom, China Telecom, China Unicom, Chunghwa Telecom, Korea Telecom and Verizon Business.

Earlier in 2008, AT&T and Japan's NTT Communications joined in as new investors.

The Trans-Pacific Express was spurred by an earthquake off Taiwan's coast in December 2006 that severed many undersea data cables and disrupted communications infrastructure throughout Asia.

The first TPE cable was placed off the shore of South Korea in September 2007 and the final splice was completed in April 2008, allowing the first light to be transmitted between Chongming, China and Nedonna Beach, Oregon.

According to Verizon, all investors pushed aggressively to ensure that the original goal of activating the cable system in the third quarter of 2008, which became a reality, on budget and on time.

For future improvements, NTT Communications persuaded the TPE to add a submarine cable link to Japan giving the cable system six additional landing sites -- one in Japan, two in mainland China, and one each in Taiwan, South Korea and the U.S.

Verizon Business global network planning v.p. Ihab Tarazi said in a statement "as the only US-based founding member of the consortium, we were able to help guide the direction of the TPE cable and provide all U.S. operational needs for the TPE Consortium."

Tyco Telecommunications was the major supplier for this cable system.

Originally announced as a 5.12 terabit system, the cable system has actually increased in data capacity and throughput, and when fully deployed when phase two is completed, TPE will be a 6 terabit cable, effectively providing greater capacity and higher data transit speeds to meet the increase in demand for IP, data and voice communications in the Asia-Pacific region.

Add to del.icio.us     Digg this

Source: Verizon Communications & Wireless.