TM forms Consortium to Build 20,000km Undersea Cable

Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) has formed a consortium with 14 international telecommunications operators for the installation of undersea fibre optic cables linking Singapore to France.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Dr Halim Shafie reported the 20,000 km cable system is expected to carry commercial traffic by early 2016.

"The new cable system, SEA-ME-WE 5, will connect South East Asia, the Middle East and Western Europe involving 17 countries."

"It will provide comprehensive connectivity with the ability to start or terminate traffic from point-of-presence in Singapore, Marseilles (France) and Palermo (Italy)," he said after signing a Construction and Maintenance Agreement here.

The collaboration is with 14 partners including Bangladesh Submarine Cable Company Ltd, China Mobile International Ltd, China Global Telecommunications Limited, China Network Communications Group Co Ltd, Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Co, Orange (formely France Telecom), Myanmar Post and Telecom.

The joint venture is part of TM's initiative in support of the government's National Broadband Plan and the Economic Transformation Programme (ETP) by expanding TM in collaboration with telecommunication companies in other countries.

source wireworld