Tyco Telecommunications to begin surveying for the undersea fiber optic cable system to connect South and East Africa to global networks in India, Middle East and Europe
NEW YORK, NY - June 21, 2007 --
Herakles Telecom, LLC, announced that the marine survey for SEACOM, which was awarded to Tyco Telecommunications, will start in South Africa. The marine survey vessel, a ship called the “Fugro Gauss” arrived in the Durban harbour on Sunday 17th June 2007 and will start surveying the route along the eastern coast of Africa shortly.
The marine survey was awarded to Tyco Telecommunications by Herakles Telecom, LLC in early April 2007. The 13,000 km marine survey commences the development of the undersea fiber optic network which will provide high capacity bandwidth connectivity between South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, India and Europe.
SEACOM will complement communication carriers of South and East Africa through the sale of wholesale international capacity to global networks eastward through India and westward through the Mediterranean. The system will provide African retail carriers with equal and open access to inexpensive bandwidth, removing the international infrastructure bottleneck and supporting East and South African economic growth. SEACOM intends to design, construct, own and operate a privately funded submarine fiber optic cable system.
“We are pleased by the progress made by Tyco Telecommunications,” explains Brian Herlihy, Vice President, Herakles Telecom, LLC. “The arrival of the Fugro Gauss in the Durban harbour to start the marine survey, which precedes the construction of the SEACOM cable, is a reassurance to the African communities which we serve of our commitment to construction deadlines.”
“The team aboard the Fugro Gauss is doing an excellent job and we are satisfied with the progress to date” explains Michael Rieger, Vice President, sales, marketing and project management, Tyco Telecommunications. “Developing the SEACOM cable is a priority to us, and we are making every effort to ensure timely completion of the marine survey..”
About SEACOM
SEACOM intends to develop, construct, own and operate a privately funded submarine fiber optic cable to be commissioned in the first quarter of 2009. The SEA Cable System expects to compliment the business of national carriers, broadcasters and education and research networks by providing a wholesale solution for international bandwidth to be sold by national carriers through their already established retail channels. SEACOM expects to sell ‘cheap bandwidth’ that encourages volume discounts and large bandwidth growth. The SEA Cable System is being designed with a nominal capacity of 1,280 Gb/s comprised of two fiber pairs expected to connect South Africa, Mozambique, Madagascar, Tanzania and Kenya to India and Europe (with an option for UAE).
About Tyco Telecommunications
Tyco Telecommunications, a business unit of Tyco Electronics and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology and marine services, is a leading global supplier for today's undersea communications requirements. Drawing on its heritage of technical innovation and industry recognized performance, the company delivers the most reliable, high-quality solutions to organizations with undersea communications needs vital to their core mission. In more than five decades of operation, Tyco Telecommunications has designed, manufactured, and installed more than 80 undersea fiber optic systems around the world. Tyco Telecommunication's global presence, backed by industry leading research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities, installation and maintenance ships, depots, and management team work together to implement integrated solutions and network upgrades, with unsurpassed reliability, that support the needs of telecommunications, Internet providers, offshore and science customers worldwide. For more information visit www.tycotelecom.com
