MCI WorldCom Becomes the Third-Largest Investor In the First Broadband Submarine Cable in Asia
SINGAPORE -- April 19, 2000 -- MCI WorldCom announced today it
is the third-largest investor in a group or world leaders in the
telecommunications industry to build the first self-healing broadband
fiber optic submarine cable in the Asia Pacific region known as the
Asia Pacific Cable Network 2 (APCN-2). The total cost of the cable
system paid by all consortium members is about US$800 million. The
agreement to build the cable system was signed by leading
telecommunications companies this week in Singapore, where MCI WorldCom
became the first U.S. carrier to receive a license to lay its own
network less than a month ago.
The 19,000 km APCN-2 cable system, expected to be completed by
September 30, 2001, will connect: Japan, Korea, China and Hong Kong,
Taiwan, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Besides serving the Asia
Pacific Region, the cable system will also provide seamless
interconnection with other major oceanic cable networks for USA,
Europe, Australia and other parts of Asia. The APCN-2 cable system is
expected to commence carrying commercial traffic by October 2001.
"More capacity in the region will allow MCI WorldCom to bring
competition benefits to our customers," said Seth Blumenfeld,
president, International Services and Correspondent, MCI WorldCom.
"Today's multimillion investment supports MCI WorldCom's
bullish outlook in Asia and our aggressive network strategy," he
added.
"By opening our advanced Operations Center in Hong Kong, our
recently awarded Singapore FBO license and today's announcement to
build the first self-healing broadband optical fiber submarine system
in Asia, the company is moving at the speed of light to enable our
customers," said Bill Barney, president Asia Pacific, MCI
WorldCom. "Locally, regionally and globally MCI WorldCom is
bringing Asia Pacific to the digital generation."
The Supply contract for the construction of the APCN-2 cable system
will be signed today between the APCN-2 and NEC Corporation of Japan in
Singapore.
The APCN-2 cable system is designed to provide 2.56 Tbs and Dense
Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology to provide
upgradeable, future-proof transmission facilities that support Internet
and e-commerce. In addition, the APCN-2 cable system will have a
'self-healing ring configuration' with four fiber-optic pairs, equipped
with greater network resilience and route diversity. This is important
for businesses that require uninterrupted telecommunications network.
The APCN-2 cable system will lead to a multi-fold increase in
telecommunications cable capacity in the Asia-Pacific region. The
APCN-2 cable system, with its large bandwidth and high quality
transmission technology, will meet the present and future burgeoning
growth in telecommunications traffic.
MCI WorldCom (NASDAQ: WCOM) is a global leader in
"all-distance" communications services with operations in
more than 65 countries. Revenues in 1999 were $37 billion, with more
than $15 billion from high-growth data, Internet and international
services. MCI WorldCom and Sprint have announced a merger agreement,
which the companies expect to close in the second half of 2000 after
regulatory and shareholder approvals. For more information go to
http://www.wcom.com.
