Columbus Networks and Alcatel-Lucent are partners in the 200km FibraLink Extension which will link to 21 other countries in the Caribbean region, including the main internet backbone gateway in Florida, US.
It is claimed that the cable will dramatically expand the range and quality of fixed and mobile broadband in the country, which was devastated by a 7.0 magnitude earthquake two years ago. Haiti’s only other subsea cable link was damaged during the earthquake and has yet to be fully restored.
Digicel Group director of international business, Conor Clarke, said; “For more than two years now, Haiti’s recovery has been hindered by the lack of high-capacity broadband connections with the rest of the world. With the delivery of this critical undersea cable, the people of Haiti will see a truly dramatic improvement in the range and quality of communications services available.”
Digicel is funding the entire project and is drawing upon Columbus and Alcatel’s technology and expertise for its deployment. Alcatel-Lucent deployed the original FibreLink system, which is owned by Columbus. The cable connects from Kingston, Ocho Rios and Montego Bay in Jamaica to the US by integrating with other parts of the Columbus Network.
