NEC Corp. (NEC; TSE: 6701) says it has signed a contract with the consortium behind the East Micronesia Cable System (EMCS) to construct, supply, and install the submarine cable network. The approximately 2250-km EMCS will connect four islands within the Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, and Nauru.
The islands include Pohnpei and Kosrae within the FSM and Tarawa within Kiribati. EMCS will be the first submarine cable to reach Tarawa, Nauru, and Kosrae. The cable consortium comprises FSM Telecommunications Cable Corp. (FSMTCC) in the FSM, BwebwerikiNet Ltd. of the Republic of Kiribati, and Nauru Fibre Cable Corp. of the Republic of Nauru. The governments of Australia, Japan, and the U.S. will provide grant funding for the submarine cable project.
“Kosrae is the only state in FSM that remains without a submarine cable connection,” commented Gordon Segal, CEO of FSMTCC and chairman of the EMCS management committee.” This project will support equal access to digital connectivity across all four states of FSM and greatly enhance our ability to access information and essential services. We thank all our project partners for their support and collaboration.“
"With the recent progress of digitalization, internet connectivity and access to digital technologies increasingly affect the economic and social development of every region. It is a great honor that the NEC Group can use its many years of experience in optical submarine cable technology to contribute to the access to information and communications for residents, businesses, and governments of Pacific Island countries," added Atsushi Kuwahara, managing director of the Submarine Network Division at NEC.
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