Google, others building 17Tbps underwater data line
updated 05:05 pm EST, Thu December 10, 2009
Consortium building 17Tbps data line in Asia
Google and a consortium of several other companies including Japanese telecoms giant KDDI Corp have announced on Thursday they will build an international undersea communications cable system. The project, which will cost about $400 million, will be the highest capacity communications system, at 17 Terabits per second, and be upgradeable to 23Tbps. Called Southeast Asia Japan Cable, it's due to come online in the spring of 2012.
Other companies involved in the undertaking include Globe Telecom and units of Bharti Airtel and Reliance Communications. The cable system will stretch over about 5,150 miles, and initially connect Singapore, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Philippines and Japan, providing faster Internet access to a region often slowed down by a lack of fast pipelines to the West.
