A new proposed submarine cable system will provide a direct link between Asia and Western Europe connecting a United Kingdom landing point with Dutch Harbor, Alaska, and then to Japan, the Anchorage Daily News reported.

 

The new project is proposed by the Kodiak Kenai Cable Co. and is expected to cost some $1 billion to $1.2 billion to build. The project will involve the laying of some 10,000 kilometers (6213 miles) of undersea cable.

 

The proposed cable goes through the Arctic, a route KKCC officials said is shorter than conventional systems connecting Asia to Europe by way of Russia or the Middle East. Backers said the Arctic route would operate about 50 percent faster than is currently possible.

 

As part of the project, KKCC, owned by two Alaskan Native corporations based out of Old Harbor and Ouzinkie, has partnered with the telecoms unit of Khanjee Holdings, a multinational energy and infrastructure development firm with offices in the United States, London and the Middle East. The corporations have created the Arctic Cable Co. to construct the network.

 

If the Alaska cable portion is funded and built, it could provide high-speed, reliable Internet to Bethel, Kotzebue, Nome and other communities. In the future, the network could be expanded to bring broadband Internet to 142 villages, company executives said.

 

Roughly 100 people are already working on the project, company officials said.

 

KKC previously had laid fiber-optic cable between Kodiak, Kenai, Homer and Seward, Alaska, and Anchorage.

 

If Arctic Cable can line up financing, construction would start in 2011 and be completed in 2013.