Alcatel-Lucent (News - Alert) and Cable Company Limited, a Bermudian telecommunications company established by KeyTech Limited, North Rock Communications, and Transact Limited, have announced the landing of the new Challenger submarine cable network in Bermuda. By offering the much needed system redundancy, Challenger will greatly improve the robustness of Bermuda’s telecommunications infrastructure.

 

Offering a turnkey network for the Challenger roll-out, Alcatel-Lucent is overseeing the entire project. The turnkey network will include responsibility for the network design, installation and commissioning. Along with its 1678 Metro Core Connect (MCC), Alcatel-Lucent is deploying its 1620 Light Manager (ML) submarine line terminal, cables and power feed equipment.

 

Linking Bermuda to the United States, Challenger will span 1,445 km. The network can be scaled up to 320Gbit/s, which is designed with an initial capacity of 20Gbit/s. Although operations are expected to begin by early 2009, work on the system started earlier this year. Bermuda’s ability to support the growing demand for international voice, video, data, and broadband services is expected to be improved by the Challenger.

 

Alcatel-Lucent has played an important role in the development and implementation of the most important submarine cable networks in operation today, with its 480,000 kilometers of submarine cables laid between continents. Challenger will help the company in facilitating global communications and for capacity enhancements that meet end-users. While this strengthens Alcatel-Lucent’s reputation as a reliable partner which can provide every part of a global transport network, this also marks a significant new step in the development of Mid Atlantic communications.

 

“As a carriers’ carrier, we will sell high capacity transmission pipes to enable all Bermuda’s carriers to deliver new and innovative services. This will ensure that Bermuda continues to be an attractive jurisdiction for the global reinsurance and financial industries and enables all Bermuda customers to enjoy more reliable and cost effective services,” said Vicki Coelho, chairman of the Cable Company marketing committee. “Leveraging Alcatel-Lucent’s expertise and technological lead in the building of submarine networks has ensured a timely implementation in bringing more competition to Bermuda’s international telecommunications market.”