Intra-Asia Cables (2)

This shall be a try to give different looks for submarine fiber optic cables in Asia. It seems very crowded, in particular in the East Asia region and that around Singapore :-D

Submarine Optical Cables in Asia - 1 (Source/Courtesy Tata/LirneASIA/D. Goswami)

Intra-Asia Cables

Some times ago, I'd tried to find out more about Pacnet's EAC-C2C cables. It was not easy since both EAC and C2C are mature systems that operated since more than 6 years ago and that the ownership was changed several times. I found an interresting talk given by Yves Poppe at APAN meeting oneday in 2006: i.e. he addressed 3 "east Asian telecommunication aortas" :

• EAC (East Asia Crossing) : design capacity --> 2.56 Tbps; RFS Jan 2001
• APCN-2 (Asia Pacific Cable Network - 2): design capacity --> 2.56 Tbps; RFS Dec 2001
• C2C (City to City): design capacity --> 7.68 Tbps; RFS Dec 2001
  

EAC - C2C

Both EAC and C2C are currently operated by Pacnet, previously ANC. I've address these cable systems shortly in the thread "intra-Asia cables" or something similar. But I guess I'll decompose that large scope to each corresponding system. Note that this post is work in progress, I will update this again later.

FNAL | RNAL

FNAL / RNAL (FLAG North Asia Loop / REACH North Asia Loop) is owned by FLAG Telecom, currenlty Reliance (??) and REACH (still??). This has shortly been addressed in the thread "intra-Asia cables" or something similar. But I guess I'll decompose that large scope to each corresponding system. Note that this post is work in progress, I will update this again later. You are free to comment! :-D

Tata's Cables

Let's begin with a Wiki quotation :-)

Tata Communications, formerly known Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited or VSNL, is India's largest telecommunication company in international long distance, enterprise data and internet services. Part of the Tata Group, Tata Communications is based in Mumbai and has operations in over 80 cities spread across 40 countries. Tata Teleservices, one of India's largest and least congested cellular providers, is a subsidiary of Tata Communications. Through its subsidiary Tyco Global Network, it is also one of the world's largest submarine cable bandwidth providers and has the world's largest network of submarine cables. Other subsidiaries of Tata Communications include VSNL International Canada, formerly known as Teleglobe while it is the majority share-holder of Neotel, South Africa's second-largest cellular operator.

In 1986, VSNL was formed as a Government of India-owned company and 1996, Tata Teleservices was established. In 2000, Tata Group acquired controlling stake in VSNL which was later expanded to 46%. In 2007, VSNL was renamed as Tata Communications which also included Tata Teleservices.

Intra-Asia & Transpacific Cables

According to Byron Clatterbuck (Tata), current supply for transpacific connection is as follows:

TGN-Pacific

• Capacity: 8 FP; 96 channels at 10 Gbps each; 1.4 Tbps lit; 7.8 Tbps design
• Owner: Tata/TGN

JUSCN

• Capacity: 4 FP; 1.28 Tbps lit & design (full occupied) ??
• Owner: Consortium

PC-1

• Capacity: 4 FP; 320 Gbps lit; 1.28 Tbps design
• Owner: (same owner as Southern Cross??)

How about intra-Asia segments? There are also many alternatives. This includes EAC-C2C (Pacnet), IAC, TIC, Flag (FNAL). There might be also several other systems.

New Asian/Transpacific Submarine Cables

In addition to AAG, several new cable systems in/via Asia are developed (just commissioned or currently under construction). This includes :

• Trans-Pacific Express (US-China)
• FLAG NGN (Intra-Asia, Intra-Africa, Mediterranean, Trans-Pacific)
• IMEWE/TIC (Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Europe)
• East Asia Crossing (EAC) Extension
  

Intra-Asia IP Traffic

This post is closely related to the previous one, except that here we discuss about Internet traffic not about bandwidth capacity. I found an interesting statement given by a REACH official:

"In 1998, 100% of IP traffic between countries in the APAC was transmitted via the US. In 2004 it was around 30% (estimated)."