Another version....
$700 Million Contract to Alcatel for Undersea Cable Loop Around South America
BusinessWire, Tuesday, August 17, 1999 at 10:29
PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--August 17, 1999--Alcatel (NYSE:ALA) has
been awarded a $700 million contract by Global Crossing for a new
high-capacity undersea telecommunications network around the South
American continent to be called South American Crossing (SAC).
Alcatel will be supplying its dense wavelength-division
multiplexing technology for the 18,000 km SAC network which will link
seven countries by 2001; Chile, Peru, Colombia, Panama, the US Virgin
Islands (St. Croix), Brazil and Argentina.
In addition to the undersea network, and in order to complete
the loop, Alcatel will also be working with others to provide a
terrestrial link, called the Trans-Andean Crossing, between Las
Toninas and Buenos Aires, Argentina and Santiago and Valparaiso in
Chile.
Configured as a ring network, the system will provide
cost-effective, reliable, high-capacity bandwidth for Internet and
multimedia traffic as well as for data and traditional
telecommunications services.
The network will be completed in phases with initial service by
the last quarter of 2000 and the complete network by the end of the
first quarter 2001.
Mr. Jean Godeluck, chief operating officer of Alcatel's
submarine networks business, said; "We are delighted that our advanced
technology, competitiveness and capabilities have led to Alcatel being
chosen by Global Crossing to support the development of their
worldwide network."
The landing points for the undersea network will be: Las
Toninas, Argentina; Santos, Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza, Brazil; St.
Croix, US Virgin Islands; Fort Armador, Panama, Buenaventura,
Colombia; Lurin, Peru and Valparaiso, Chile. At all of these
locations, except Fort Armador in Panama, Alcatel will also be
responsible for the construction of the landing stations.
The contract for SAC is the third to be awarded to Alcatel by
Global Crossing as part of the latter's plans for an expanding
worldwide network. The 6000 km Mid-Atlantic Crossing (MAC) off the
east coast of North America, is currently being built for completion
at the end of 1999. The UK to Belgium link of the Pan-European
Crossing is also being manufactured for completion by end-1999.
Alcatel builds next generation networks, delivering integrated
end-to-end voice and data solutions to established and new carriers,
as well as enterprises and consumers worldwide. With 120,000 employees
and sales of EURO 21.3 billion ($25.0 billion), Alcatel operates in
more than 130 countries. For more information, visit Alcatel on
Internet: http:/www.alcatel.com
Alcatel's submarine networks division has the largest
manufacturing capacity for undersea systems, currently 80,000 km per
year, as well as the most advanced technology. It is the world leader
in fully integrated city to city submarine networks.
Global Crossing is building and operating the world's most
advanced global IP-based datacentric network, an end-to-end fiber
optic platform for data, voice, video and Internet transmissions. The
Global Crossing Network will span five continents and address 80% of
the world's international traffic. A new unit of Global Crossing,
Global Marine Systems Limited, possesses the largest flotilla of cable
laying and maintenance vessels in the world and currently services
more than a third of the world's undersea cable kilometers. Global
Crossing's operations are headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, with
executive offices in Los Angeles.
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