Icelandic network administrator Farice Hf has contracted Italy's Pirelli to deliver the new EUR30m Farice fibre-optic submarine system linking the Faroese, Icelandic and Scottish telecommunication networks. Pirelli described the network as its "most significant win" in 2002.
The project will involve the manufacturing and installation of a 1,400km-long submarine fibre-based network, with an ultimate transmission capacity of 640Gbit/s.
Sturla Bodvarsson, Iceland's Communication Minister said, "This submarine telecommunication system is very important for Iceland, since we need to improve our connections with other countries. The majority of our daily activities require connection to efficient telecommunication networks, which means for us submarine optical cables whose reliability is extremely important".
Controlled by Iceland Telecom with the participation of Faroese Telecom and other local operators, Farice Hf was created with the commitment of the national governments concerned and the telecom operators of Iceland and Faroes.
Pirelli will manufacture and lay the DWDM submarine optical system and supply all materials, technology, installation services and commissioning.
The new network is based on repeatered technology, typically used for submarine optical transmissions over medium and long range (thousands of kilometers). The initially equipped capacity will be 20Gbit/s, upgradable in accordance with future traffic.
The project is forecast to be completed before the end of 2003 and the new broadband transmission capacity available will support the growth of Internet-based advanced services and data networking in the entire region.
The submarine cable will be manufactured at Pirelli's plant in Arco Felice, near Naples, Italy, which the company described as its centre of excellence for submarine applications.