Microsoft buys capacity on Seabras-1 submarine cable

Seaborn Networks reports that it has reached an agreement with Microsoft Corp. to supply fiber-optic network capacity on Seaborn's US-Brazil submarine cable system.

"We are extremely pleased to have Microsoft on board as the foundational customer for Seabras-1," said Larry Schwartz, CEO, Seaborn. "With their full participation in the system, it is clear that Microsoft is highly committed to delivering the best cloud experience and infrastructure in Brazil and all of Latin America. We are delighted that Seabras-1 will play a major role in further enabling their cutting-edge consumer and enterprise services in the region."

Microsoft's commitment assures the deployment of Seabras-1, a system that will be built with next-generation coherent transmission technology to deliver high-speed, high-capacity and lowest latency telecommunications between New York and São Paulo. Greater capacity between the two continents is essential for cloud companies needing to grow and scale their cloud infrastructure, Seaborn asserts.

"We are excited to work with Seaborn to expand our 'mobile first, cloud first' experience in Brazil," said Vijay Gill, general manager of global networking services, Microsoft. "Seaborn and Microsoft share a common desire to deploy secure infrastructure and to further accelerate the availability of cloud technologies in Brazil and throughout Latin America. This investment highlights Microsoft's commitment to enhancing our cloud infrastructure for the benefit of our customers in this region."

Seabras-1 is expected to be ready for service in 2016 (see "Seabras-1 US-Brazil submarine fiber-optic cable route surveys begin"). Alcatel-Lucent will supply the necessary equipment (see "Alcatel-Lucent to build Seabras-1 US-Brazil 100-Gbps submarine cable network").

For more information on high-speed transmission systems and suppliers, visit the Lightwave Buyer’s Guide.