New major contract with ARCOS1--for submarine cable
Carrier will deploy 8,200 kms of cable linking 15 countries
Corning Cable Systems, the industry-leading manufacturer of optical cable and related hardware, has secured a submarine cable contract with the Americas Region Caribbean Ring Systems (ARCOS1) Consortium to deploy an 8,200 fiber optic cable km network.
The ARCOS1 network, 85% owned by New World Network, will link 15 countries in three continents including the United States, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Panama and other countries in the Caribbean region.
"The ring configuration provides high reliability because of its permanent automatic self-restoration," said Ignacio Ospino, Vice President Submarine Cable Systems. "Additionally, the network has a high connectivity because it reaches 15 countries. The partners of the contractor consortium were chosen because of their experience and leadership in the undersea sea cable and telecommunications industry."
The network will consist of two repeatered segments comprising approximately 2000 kms and 22 unrepeatered segments with more than 6000 km of Corning Cable Systems' 24 fiber Minisub(TM) optical cable.
New World said that it expects the Miami to Puerto Rico segment of ARCOS1 to be ready for service early 2001. The entire execution should occur in approximately 15 months beginning June 2000 with completion by September 2001. The final capacity of the network will operate at 960 G/bps.
Several organizations have joined together to fund ARCOS1 and are parties to the Construction and Maintenance Agreement, including New World Network (owned by Global Light, Siemens Project Ventures and the project sponsors), Comtech International, GTE Intelligent Network Services, and MCI International and AT&T, all of the United States; AVANTEL S.A. of Mexico; Lambda Operations Corporation of Puerto Rico; and 23 other important carriers of the region.
Designed as a turn-key project, the contractor(s) for ARCOS1 will be a consortium of NSW (a Corning Company) serving as the project leader and responsible for the unrepeatered segments. Siemens A.G. will supply the dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology and SDH equipment as well as the network management--Tyco Submarine Systems Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Tyco International Ltd. (NYSE: TYC; LSE: TYI; BSX: TYC), will be responsible for the two repeatered segments.
"Corning Cable Systems is very pleased to provide the optical cable for this significant installation," said Wolfgang Giebel, NSW Managing Director, Nordenham, Germany. "By choosing one of Corning Cable Systems' state-of-the-art cable designs, ARCOS1 will create one of the most advanced and efficient networks in the industry. We are positioned to support this initiative because we have set a standard of excellence for more than 20 years that cannot be matched by our competition."
In February 2000, Global Light and Germany's Siemens Project Ventures (SPV) agreed to acquire 51% and 20.4% respective equity in New World Network.
For additional information on Corning Cable Systems products or services, please contact a customer service representative at 1-800-743-2671 or 828-327-5000 or via our website at www.corning.com/cablesystems .
Corning Cable Systems, committed to providing superior customer-support services and unparalleled product quality, has more than 14,000 employees in 20 countries. With sales of more than $2 billion, Corning Cable Systems, a wholly owned subsidiary of Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) is the leading manufacturer of fiber optic and copper communications system solutions for voice, data, and video network applications worldwide.
Established in 1851, Corning Incorporated ( www.corning.com ) creates leading-edge technologies for the fastest-growing markets of the world's economy. Corning manufactures optical fiber, cable and photonic products for the telecommunications industry; and high-performance displays and components for television and other communications-related industries. The company also uses advanced materials to manufacture products for scientific, semiconductor and environmental markets. Corning revenues for 1999 were $4.7 billion.
CONTACT: Corning Cable Systems
Lisa Crawford, 828/327-5378
lisa.crawford@corning.com
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Corning Communications
Paul Rogoski, 607/974-8832
rogoskipa@corning.com
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