Cable & Wireless takes the sea

(Telephony) A high-powered link to Europe is always important. While many providers simply lease connectivity on other providers’ cables, some are building their own. Cable & Wireless revealed today that it will work with Alcatel to build a transatlantic cable.

The cable system will use intelligent optical networking and is expected to handle the growing demand for IP and data services. The project, known as Apollo, will not be complete until the summer of 2002.

The goal of the system is to have it completed in advance of other similar systems currently under development. And as with most undersea builds providers are more likely to install state-of-the-art equipment that will last as long as possible because of the great expense and long installation time involved with the undersea cables.

The system will be made up of two diverse submarine legs, each with four fiber pairs capable of 3.2 Tb/s on each leg. The closest current system is FLAG Telecom’s, which is capable of reaching 2.4 Tb/s. It will also be an 80 wavelength system and will have the ability to run as a standard ring-based system or a mesh.

Cable & Wireless claims to have already signed a letter of intent with a U.S.-based provider for the purchase of one fiber pair on the system.

“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,” said Mike McTighe, CEO Global Operations, Cable & Wireless in a released statement.