wiredinUSA February 2014

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George Samisoni, Acting CEO, Fintel

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Nepal’s fiber launch

Fiji businesses and institutions will connect directly with business partners and counterparts in Tonga and Vanuatu following the successful laying and commissioningof a submarineoptical fiber cable between Fintel, Fiji's international telecommunications provider, and Vanuatu. Fintel’s acting chief executive officer, George Samisoni, announced that the Fiji to Vanuatu telecommunications cable system would be ready for commercial operation from mid-January 2014. “The 1,250 kilometer submarine cable system, at a cost of $30 million, will link directly into the high capacity Southern Cross cable, enabling Vanuatu businesses to connect to the global telecommunications highway via US, Australia, Asia and Europe,” he said. “The high speed Internet should be a life-changing event for the people of Vanuatu and opens the door for e-commerce, e-education, e-health and e-government to name a few.” “This is the second Pacific island cable system to be landed at Fintel’s Vatuwaqa communications gateway, positioning Fiji as the telecommunications hub of the Pacific,” he continued.

Nepal Telecom (NT) will demonstrate new fiber-to-the-home services at its annual celebration day on 5 th February. In its first phase, Nepal Telecom is installing fiber networks in ten locations across the country and plans to launch services in mid-April. The company plans to replace existing copper wires with fiber, and to expand the service across Nepal once the major cities are covered. As part of the project, Nepal Telecom has already completed the installation of fiber links to the exchanges.

ASIA / AFRICA NEWS

wiredInUSA - February 2014

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