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VSNL unveils submarine cable station in Kochi

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CIOL Bureau
New Update

KOCHI: VSNL has announced the formal unveiling of the SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine cable station in Kochi. The 36-member consortium-owned SAT-3/WASC/SAFE submarine cable has been operational since May 27, 2002. Ratan N Tata, Chairman, VSNL inaugurated VSNL’s cable station at Kochi at a function held at the VSNL premises in Kakkanad, Kochi.



This makes Kochi the only landing point for the cable in India and one of the 16 landing points across the world for the submarine cable that stretches across 28000 kms, spanning 15 countries and 3 continents. In another significant initiative, VSNL is also hosting an international delegation of the 39-member consortium of the SEA-ME-WE-3 cable system at Kochi to discuss procurement and commissioning issues for the upgradation of the cable.



The SAFE landing point at Kochi will provide VSNL alternate traffic and restoration route with the SEA-ME-WE-3 cable. The recently commissioned SAT-3/WASC/SAFE is equipped to offer VSNL reliable diversity and all-cable restoration which will provide VSNL multiple options for routing its international traffic thereby increasing the reliability of its service network.



The cable system has an ultimate capacity of 120 GBPS that will enable it to convey a total of 5.8 million simultaneous telephone channels.



Commissioned in May 2002, SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable is co-owned by a 36-member consortium formed for construction of the submarine optic fiber cable system. This cable system connects Europe with Africa and Asia. Going around Western Africa, South Africa and India from Portugal in Europe before terminating in Malaysia in the Far East, this cable provides enhanced capacity, diversity and connectivity to all the consortium members.



VSNL has invested substantially in the total project cost of about $ 650 million, making it one of the highest stakeholders in the 36 member international consortium coming together to participate in this landmark project.



This SAT-3/WASC/SAFE cable will give India an immense strategic advantage in becoming the hub for all voice and data traffic between the Far East on one side and Europe and Africa on the other. The new cable is perfectly positioned to offer reliable diversity and restoration to other East-West submarine cable systems.



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