LONDON – Cable & Wireless, the global telecommunications group, is planning to build the world’s most advanced Internet Protocol (IP) transatlantic cable, known as Apollo, together with Alcatel, world leader in intelligent optical networking, to meet growing IP and data
demand.
The new cable system is scheduled to begin service in the summer
of 2002 and will make available to Cable & Wireless customers
significant bandwidth at lower cost, well in advance of competing
systems using similar technologies. It anticipates the huge demand for
bandwidth that analysts forecast to grow on average at around 100 per
cent per annum*, as a result of the rapid adoption of business
internet communications worldwide.
Cable & Wireless’ investment in the transatlantic system is 300 million (pound) with additional project financing from Alcatel. A major US communications company has already signed a letter of
intent to purchase one fiber pair, representing a quarter of the new
cable system’s capacity. In addition, Cable & Wireless’ dedicated
carrier and service provider channel, Partner Services, has
non-disclosure agreements and ongoing commercial negotiations with
other potential purchasers.
“Cable & Wireless’ role as the exclusive channel to market
underlines the success of our division dedicated to the service of our
carriers and service provider customers,” said Mike McTighe, CEO
Global Operations, Cable & Wireless. “The bandwidth that Apollo will
provide reflects our phenomenal growth in IP and data traffic and our
continued commitment to becoming the leading global supplier of IP
services to business customers worldwide.”
Apollo comprises two fully diverse submarine legs, four fibre
pairs in each, capable of at least 3.2 terabits per second of traffic
transmission on each leg – one third more capacity than other existing
transatlantic cable systems. The system will run for 13,000km under
the Atlantic Ocean, linking Long Island and New Jersey in the United
States with Cornwall in the UK, and Brittany in France. Marine
operations are already underway.
The transatlantic system links directly with Cable & Wireless’
seamless high capacity infrastructure in the US and Europe, providing
customers with onward connectivity to communications destinations far
beyond the landing points.
Advanced technologies
As the world’s most advanced IP transatlantic cable system, Apollo can claim:
- Greater capacity: Apollo will be the first 80 wavelength
transatlantic system – which means Cable & Wireless can offer
customers lower unit cost. - Greater resilience: Apollo is the first transatlantic system to
use Alcatel’s enhanced cable protection design – which means it is
less prone to damage from external aggression, such as trawler
damage. The system echoes Gemini’s dual leg architecture for extra
resilience. - full flexibility: depending on the customers’ voice, data or IP
requirements, Apollo can be configured either as a standard ring
protection architecture or fully meshed – which means the customer
can determine for themselves the level of protection they require,
up to the latest optical protection switching equipment.
Alcatel is the only vendor to master all optical network elements,
from optical components, optical fibers and DWDM systems to core
routers and network intelligence, and from terrestrial to submarine
solutions. Alcatel is also the only company to provide both
terrestrial and marine services for the installation and maintenance
of global, seamless optical networks.
According to RHK’s 2000 study, Alcatel holds the number two
position in global optical transport market with 20% market share,
distancing itself from all other competitors. RHK also reported that
Alcatel reaffirms its number one position in submarine networks with
41% worldwide market share. Moreover, Alcatel claims to be the world
leader in total terrestrial and submarine DWDM systems, in digital
cross-connects, which contain the enabling technology for operators to
offer high bandwidth services, and in SDH networks.
Alcatel’s optics business comprises terrestrial and submarine
transmission systems, fiber optics and optical components. Alcatel has
launched a new class of Alcatel stock, which is intended to track the
performance of Alcatel Optronics, the Company’s optical component business.
Alcatel is the world leader in delivering full turnkey submarine
network solutions and services. Alcatel leads this industry in terms
of:
- having the highest sold capacity up to 8.4 Tbit/s for the
long-haul systems and 3.6 Tbit/s for the short-haul ones, using
the latest DWDM technology; - having the largest manufacturing capacity at 85,000 km per year
strategically located around the Globe; - managing 11 dedicated purposed-designed vessels for a tight
control on the delivery schedule, including marine maintenance.
Current contracts, worth US$ 5.8+ billion, include the most
advanced undersea networks in the world today: 360americas and FLAG
Atlantic-1 systems in the Atlantic, the 360pacific, FLAG Pacifc-1,
Japan-US and Southern Cross transpacific systems, and the MAC and
MAYA-1 systems in the Americas and the SAT-3 around Africa.
