Private company constructs undersea cable from Vanuatu to Sols

-
BY GEORGINA KEKEA

WORK on the construction of a submarine cable from Vanuatu to Solomon Islands is already underway.

Interchange Limited, a private company based in Vanuatu is funding the ICN2 cable to connect Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. Interchange Limited also owns and operates the ICN1 cable between Vanuatu and Fiji.


Simon Fletcher, CEO of Interchange Limited says construction phase of their project has commenced and this cable should be brought into service by the end of 2019. Mr. Fletcher says the total project costs USD30m but there are plenty of good reasons why ICN2 is important for the region.

“Vanuatu is currently served by a single cable ‘ICN1’ and should ICN1 fail for any reason, then ICN2 shall provide backup solution for consumers in Vanuatu. ICN2 shall also act as a backup solution for the Australia to Solomons and PNG cable”.

Fletcher says it was only a few months ago that all internet traffic in and out of Sydney via the Southern Cross cable to USA suffered a major service outage for more than 12 hours due to a cable breakage in Sydney.

“In the future once ICN2 and the Coral Sea Cable are both completed, this traffic can be rerouted via Solomon Islands and Vanuatu”.

Meanwhile the Australian Government is aware of the announcement of the ICN2 undersea telecommunications cable, linking Vanuatu and Solomon Island



A spokesperson from the Australian High Commission says development -friendly IT infrastructure in the region improves interconnectedness and the potential for economic growth.

“The new proposed cable would complement the undersea telecommunications cable linking Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea and Australia which is due for completion by end of 2019”, the spokesperson said.

At the same time Mr. Fletcher of Interchange Limited says ICN2 will also offer an alternate route path for Australian users connecting the USA.

Australia earlier has qualms on the undersea cable construction from Australia to Papua New Guinea (PNG) and to Solomon Islands but this time round accept Interchange Limited’s construction of undersea cable from Vanuatu to Solomon Islands.

Interchange Limited though based in Vanuatu, currently has a valid license to operate in Solomon Islands.

“They’ve submitted their application for a license to the Telecommunications Commission in Honiara in 2013 and since approved have kept and renewed their license”, a spokesperson from Telecommunications Commission SI (TCSI) confirmed.

 “This project is long overdue and ever since their application, they’ve continuously renewed their license every year”, the spokesperson said.

When making formal announcement of this contract, Simon Fletcher says Interchange is committed to improved ICT infrastructure to communities they serve throughout the Melanesia region.

“The ICN2 cable truly supports our mission and is the first submarine cable to the Solomon Islands. With the planned future systems in the region, we feel confident they will be complementary and serve to build a redundant and reliable network. This should provide some confidence to regional investors and datacenter partners”, Simon Fletcher, Interchange Limited’s CEO said.

It is understood though that the relevant Government ministry overseeing ICT in Solomon Islands is still to be formally briefed in this new development.

Interchange Limited’s project on the undersea cable from Vanuatu to Solomon Islands is privately funded and different to the Australian government funded cable.
Both are anticipating completion by the end of 2019.

ENDS///

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

AUSTRALIA: A STEADFAST PARTNER AND FRIEND TO SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY DR LACHLAN STRAHN, AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER TO SOLOMON ISLANDS Australia and Solomon Islands enjoy a close bond – indeed, we are Pacific family. The Blue Pacific is our shared home, our common region. The Coral Sea links us forever and continental drift is in fact pushing us closer together. But our deep friendship is based on much more than shared geography. We are bound together by our common values as democratic countries committed to peace, a rich spiritual life and a shared determination to give every individual, man, woman, girl and boy, the opportunity to reach their full potential. Family stick together, through the good times and the tough times. Australia partnered with Solomon Islands during some of the country’s darkest moments, including through RAMSI to help restore stability and law and order. And Solomon Islands has been there for Australia, with people across the country reaching into their hearts to raise funds for the communities ravaged by devastating bushfir...
Read more

VANUATU BIGGEST IMPORTER OF CANNED TUNA FROM SOLOMON ISLANDS

-
Image
BY GEORGINA KEKEA VANUATU is the biggest importer of canned tuna from Solomon Islands. National Fisheries Development (NFD) Limited Managing Director, Frank Wickham shared this information in a recent radio talkback show to mark World Tuna Day. Wickham says the biggest export destination for SolTuna’s canned tuna is Vanuatu. “Followed by Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the market is now open in New Zealand. There is a big move now to promote and market in New Zealand and Australia. We have containers going to Kiribati, Tuvalu with a few to Tonga and Marshall Islands. The biggest of them all is Vanuatu”, Wickham said. He says domestically the consumption of tuna is growing annually making Solomon  Islands one of the biggest canned tuna consumption per capita in the world. “Two years ago it was like more than 800,000 cartons a year. which means for every woman, man and child in the country, they consume one carton a year. So if you look at 48 tin cans in one carton, it is almost one ...
Read more

HOW A TINY PROVINCE IN SOLOMON ISLANDS REACHES OUT TO AUSTRALIA

-
Image
THE small island province of Temotu in the far eastern part of Solomon Islands is one of the nation’s most prone natural hazard areas. The tsunami in 2013 swamped through 20 villages With an estimated population of less than 25,000, Temotu often has its bouts of natural disasters. In 2015, tropical cyclone Pam left devastating effects on the tiny province where people were affected from damages to their fruit trees, food gardens and agricultural crops. People near the coast were evacuated. Then again in 2017, TC Donna in its wake and formation also impacted badly on the people of Temotu. Not to mention it was only seven years ago a tsunami claimed lives of more than 10 people, swamped more than 20 villages forcing the government to declare a state of emergency over the Santa Cruz Islands. Remains of household in Venga village after 2013 tsunami (Photo supplied) Their most recent bout of disaster was in January 2019 where bad weather caused people to face food shortag...
Read more