PLDT to launch P2.5-B fiber optic submarine cable project next week

Telecommunications industry leader Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is launching next week its P2.5 billion fiber optic submarine cable project designed to meet the region’s growing need for higher bandwidth.

With the theme Connect to Compete, the launch will introduce to PLDT’s corporate customers the Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN 2)system – an infrastructure built specifically for the Internet age – which caters to their high-bandwidth requirements.

Operational since Dec. 21 last year, APCN 2 is a network comprising approximately 19,000 kilometers of optical fiber submarine cable, landed at 10 locations in eight countries. It is the first ever self-healing high bandwidth optical fiber submarine system in the Asia-Pacific region. This means greater network resiliency and route diversity.

It also employs the latest state-of-the-art technology representing a great opportunity for bandwidth expansion. In the Philippines, it is terminated at PLDT’s new equipment building in Nasugbu, Batangas.

APCN 2 is expected to meet the region’s growing communications need and demand for high bandwidth circuits driven by Internet services, international telecommunications traffic, which has greatly escalated to unpredicted magnitudes.

The initial system capacity within the main loop provides 40 Gbps protected capacity with maximum capacity upgrade possible up to 2.56 Tbps.

The APCN 2 system stretches from Japan to Singapore and covers the other major countries in Asia namely: Korea, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. A consortium of telecommunications leaders around the world spearheaded this cable project.

APCN 2 will also provide seamless interconnection with other cable networks providing connection to the US, Europe, Australia, and other parts of Asia. With the shift from bilateral circuit to whole circuit provisioning, PLDT will also be able to easily establish Points of Presence (POP) in other countries.

A construction and maintenance agreement (C&MA) was signed last April 18, 2000 in Singapore to build the APCN 2 together with 44 other foreign telecommunications entities.