The cable has a design capacity of 680Gbps with two diverse routes, and launches initially with 50Gbps on each route to cope with existing demand. The two routes will be connected to the Falcon undersea fibre-optic networks which are owned by Reliance Globalcom.
According to Reuters, Reliance Globalcom believes the joint venture will significantly improve the country’s broadband and telecoms links on wider scale.
Rory Cole, COO at Reliance Globalcom said: “This will help connect Iraq to the rest of the world through our global networks. The Middle East is one of the fastest growing regions in the world.”
It is believed the project is the first cable network to land in the country, and is seen as a major breakthrough following the economic and political problems Iraq has faced over the past decade. The country’s telecommunications growth in particular has been hindered by poor infrastructure, high operating costs and conflicts between regulators.
“This is an extremely important strategic initiative that will facilitate the connectivity of all countries in the Middle East region to Iraq and also significantly improve the quality and speed as well as the reliability of Iraq’s connectivity to the rest of the world,” added Mohammed Allawi, Iraq’s Minister of Communications.
Content evolution in the Middle East, in addition to a drive by separate governments in the region to develop the enterprise and vertical sectors, has led to an increasing demand for bandwidth. Reliance Communications acquired the FLAG cable systems in 2003, and has integrated it within the Reliance Globalcom unit. The company now operates a global network spanning 65,000km.
