ARCOS Optical Marine Cable Network now Interconnecting the Caribbean
<<Where is the overcapacity?>>
Joint Press Release New World Network/Siemens IC Networks
The completion and commercial availability of ARCOS (Americas Region Caribbean Optical-Ring System), the fiber optic cable network, primarily owned by New World Network, marks the dawn of a new age of communication in the Caribbean region. As the broadband transmission network goes into operation, the region's growing demand for bandwidth can be met for the first time. New services, like Fast Internet, will contribute to the economic development in the region. Siemens IC Networks played the key role in the realization of ARCOS as the major supplier of equipment used in the implementation of the network.
The ARCOS ring links 24 landing points in 15 countries within South, Central, and North America and extends for a total length of 8,600 km around the Caribbean. “The new communications applications supported via ARCOS contributes significantly to the economic development and future prosperity of the regions it interconnects," said Helmut Bader, Chairman of the ARCOS Procurement Implementation Group.
The countries involved in ARCOS were, until now, linked using a wide variety of transmission media such as narrowband satellite systems. This meant that the quality and availability of the communications often fell short of the requirements needed on high-speed data links. In contrast, the ARCOS network is based on modern Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology, allowing high speed transmission throughout the region. The initial design capacity of the ring-configured network is 15 Gbit/s on the first fiber pair, with an option to upgrade to 80 Gbit/s. Additionally, the cables, containing up to 12 fiber pairs, offer sufficient reserves to meet future demand for capacity growth throughout the ARCOS ring. The network design allows for flexible routing of the traffic streams between the connected end customers on a demand basis and allows expansion in excess of 1 Terabit. The system's typology is configured in that the use of underwater signal repeaters is largely eliminated due to the ring structure, making ARCOS cost competitive and highly reliable.
Due to ARCOS' ring configuration (the signal is transmitted in both directions simultaneously), full redundancy can be ensured in the event of a cable break. To ensure network security, the entire system is controlled and monitored from two operation centers at separate locations, one in Miami, Florida and the other in Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles.
"By utilizing Siemens' state-of-the-art optical equipment we have built a system unlike others in the region," said Eduardo Garcia, Executive VP of Operations of New World Network. "ARCOS has a unique ring architecture that allows for us to capitalize on the use of large bandwidth terminal equipment as future technologies evolve; this translates into a reliable network with seamless upgrades for both the cable system and our customers," added Eduardo.
A consortium, made up of New World Network and other leading carriers in the region, is responsible for the entire construction of ARCOS. Alongside Siemens IC Networks, the German marine cable company Norddeutsche Seekabelwerke (NSW) and TyCom contributed to the construction of ARCOS sub-sea optical network.
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