15 December 2003 Corning, NY Lightwave--Corning announced that fiber-optic cable and connectivity products from its subsidiary Corning Cable Systems, are being deployed in Panama's 400-km national fiber-optic backbone project. In November 2002, Consorcio Andino awarded Corning Cable Systems a multimillion dollar contract.
Etesa is a state-owned full-service power and telecommunications provider in Panama. Consorcio Andino, based in Panama, was awarded a turnkey contract with Etesa for delivery and installation of equipment for the optical transmission technology needed to construct a link connecting several cities in Panama. The project connects Guasquitas to Panama City, crossing the Panama Canal and providing fiber connectivity throughout the network. It is part of an overall project by Etesa to build transmission lines to distribute power and telecommunications from the western part of the country to other areas within Panama, including Panama City.
Corning Cable Systems provided more than 400 km of optical ground wire (OPGW) cable using Corning LEAF optical fiber. This non-zero dispersion-shifted fiber (NZ-DSF), is a G.655.B-compliant fiber optimized for amplified DWDM, 1550-nm transmission in long-haul and metro networks.
Corning Cable Systems also provided all of the passive optical connectivity products used during the installation of the project, including fiber-optic hardware, fusion splicers, optical test equipment, and fiber-optic splice closures.