October 13, 2016

Google and Facebook team up to build transpacific submarine cable system

The companies are building a 120 Tbps cable connecting Los Angeles to Hong Kong

Security firm

This week, TE Connectivity, along with Facebook and Google announced that they will build the Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN), a 12,800 km transpacific submarine cable system that will provide the first direct undersea route between Hong Kong and Los Angeles, California. The cable network is said to have high capacity transmission.

Aaron Stucki, President of TE SubCom said :

PLCN will showcase the ultra-high-capacity designs and industry-leading wet plant technologies that have enabled TE SubCom to become the manufacturing partner of choice for the world’s most advanced undersea networks.

The project is scheduled for commercial launch in 2018 and will include TE SubCom’s C+L technology which the companies claim is a major step in available cable transmission capacity that doubles the available bandwidth and capacity per fiber pair. They also said that once completed, PLCN will be the highest capacity transpacific route.

Mr.Wei Junkang, Chairman of PLDC said :

PLCN will be among the lowest-latency fiber optic routes between Hong Kong and the U.S. and the first to connect directly using ultra-high-capacity transmission.

It is certainly gratifying that global technology companies like Google and Facebook have become co-investors in PLCN.

It is a strong signal that PLCN will be trusted to address the capacity needs for internet and international communications services throughout the Pacific Rim.