Cable & Wireless announce Fastest Cable Underseas
  01/25/2001 1:21:00am Albuquerque, Nm
  Dustin D. Brand; Owner AMO

Working strongly with Alcatel, C&W plan to lay their own Fiber Optics under the Atlantic.   London based Cable & Wireless PLC announced last week they will lay their own undersea fiber optic network stretching 13,000 Kilometers.

  The double leg cable code named "Apollo" will handle internet protocol traffic up to 3.2 TerraBits/sec. One leg of the cable will carry data between the US and Europe, and the other will carry data between the US and France. C&W doesn't expect the cable to be operational until the summer of 2002.

  The current fastest underseas Fiber Optic link between the US and Europe is two legged and is rated at 2.4 Tbits/sec and is owned by London based Flag Telecom Holdings Ltd.

  Cable and Wireless have contracted with Alcatel of Paris whom just purchased their own fleet of 9 ships for optic laying (see Alcatel). This deal will cost Cable and Wireless $442 Million, with an un specified investment from Alcatel.