Alcatel-Lucent’s Submarine Technology for Interchange’s New Cable System

Interchange Limited, a Vanuatu-based company, is expanding its undersea infrastructure with a new cable system spanning more than 3000km that will link the Pacific islands of Vanuatu, the Solomons and Papua New Guinea.

The new system will use Alcatel-Lucent’s submarine technology to deliver ultra-broadband access capability, to underpin the creation of an enabling environment for sustainable economic and social growth.

The new system will connect Port Vila, Vanuatu, to Port Moresby, PNG, with branches to Luganville, Vanuatu, and Honiara in the Solomon islands. Initially operating at 40 gigabit-per-second (Gbit/s) speeds and offering an ultimate design capacity of 1.2 terabit-per-seconds, the system will increase Internet speeds for new and existing service providers to support the deployment of applications for e-healthcare, e-education, Government communications and tourism while further strengthening Vanuatu’s competitive position as an e-business hub.

Simon Fletcher, CEO of Interchange, said: ”Fast and easy connections to everything and all the time is a critical demand whether it comes from video entertainment, cloud-based business applications or access to more basic health care applications from remote areas. With the help of Alcatel-Lucent’s submarine technology, this new undersea cable system further help remove the current dependence on satellite and further encourage the introduction of new services and applications affordably available to everyone. Interchange is committed to a better future for Melanesia by offering nation-building telecommunications technologies and infrastructure to communities throughout the entire region.”

Philippe Dumont, President, Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks said: ”Undersea cable systems are critical enablers for reliable connectivity and it is well documented that cost-effective access to broadband fosters social and economic development for the more isolated geographies. We are pleased to continue our cooperation with Interchange in this innovative new project which clearly shows the need for connectivity is still a priority for many geographies and island communities in the Pacific.”

This new system will complement the 1,259km external link Vanuatu-Fiji undersea cable system, Vanuatu’s first international submarine cable link between Port Vila and Suva in Fiji that will commence commercial operation this month.

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Press Release, January 23, 2014; Image: Interchange