Uncategorized – Pacific Islands Research and Education Network

Global Big-Data Collaboration Gets Easier with Two New 100 Gbps Connections to CENIC and Pacific Wave for ESnet

May 8, 2023 by Maria Dumanlang

The Corporation for Education Network Initiatives (CENIC) is pleased to announce the turn-up of two 100 Gbps connections in Los Angeles: one between the Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) and CENIC and the other between ESnet and the Pacific Wave international distributed peering facility for research and education (R&E) networks.

These two 100 Gbps peering connections now function alongside ESnet’s existing 100 Gbps connections to Pacific Wave in Sunnyvale, CA and Seattle, WA. With these new connections, researchers at ESnet will enjoy greater performance and improved latency when collaborating with researchers both worldwide and within California—particularly with facilities in the southern part of the state, such as Caltech, the San Diego Supercomputer Center, and UCLA.

“The new peering with CENIC and Pacific Wave enables science researchers to have improved performance to Department of Energy user facilities, datasets, and collaborators. Together with CENIC, we are excited to provide this high-speed access to benefit California’s research and education community as well as science collaborators in Asia and on the west coast who are connected by Pacific Wave,” said Inder Monga, Executive Director of ESnet.

One example of a major international collaboration that will benefit from the improved connectivity within and beyond California is the Global Network Advancement Group (GNA-G)—a community of network professionals from national R&E networking (NREN) organizations all over the world. The GNA-G works together to better align resources and make continent-to-continent interconnections more efficient for global science collaborations and transnational education.

The GNA-G has several working groups, one of which—the Data-Intensive Sciences Working Group—brings together the world’s NRENs and leading science programs with the joint mission of meeting the challenges of fostering a new generation of multidomain services and agile R&E network operations spanning world regions. Harvey Newman, Professor of Physics at Caltech and Chair of this working group, said, “The new peerings and 100 Gbps connections between CENIC and ESnet in Los Angeles represent another major step forward in the multifaceted collaboration with Caltech, UCSD, the National Research Platform, Internet2, and many US and international partners in the GNA-G, who are working to meet the needs of the Large Hadron Collider and other data-intensive science programs.

”Newman added that the new connections to ESnet will accelerate the development of the next-generation network-integrated system, which will meet these programs’ needs for worldwide data distribution, processing, and collaborative analysis on unprecedented scales while supporting the continued efficient use of these networks by current academic and research communities.

About CENIC | www.cenic.org
CENIC connects California to the world—advancing education and research statewide by providing the world-class network essential for innovation, collaboration, and economic growth. This nonprofit organization operates the California Research and Education Network (CalREN), a high-capacity network designed to meet the unique requirements of over 20 million users, including the vast majority of K-20 students together with educators, researchers and others at vital public-serving institutions. CENIC’s Charter Associates are part of the world’s largest education system; they include the California K-12 system, California Community Colleges, the California State University system, California’s Public Libraries, the University of California system, Stanford, Caltech, USC, and the Naval Postgraduate School. CENIC also provides connectivity to leading-edge institutions and industry research organizations around the world, serving the public as a catalyst for a vibrant California.

About Pacific Wave | www.pacificwave.net
Pacific Wave (PacWave) is a distributed, Research and Education (R&E)-focused, open Internet exchange. It provides for very high-performance Internet connectivity among US Science and Engineering R&E institutions and their international partners and is critical infrastructure for access to internationally supported instruments and large-scale data sources and repositories.

Pacific Wave enables large-scale scientific workflows to accelerate discovery in all areas of science and engineering, including high-energy physics, Earth sciences, astronomy and astrophysics, biology, and biomedical engineering, as well as scalable visualization, virtual reality, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

About ESnet | www.es.net
The Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) is a high-performance, unclassified network built to support scientific research. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Science (SC) and managed by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, ESnet provides services to more than 50 DOE research sites, including the entire National Laboratory system, its supercomputing facilities, and its major scientific instruments, as well as to additional research and commercial networks. Through ESnet, DOE-funded scientists collaborate on some of the world’s most important scientific challenges, from the origins of the universe to the future of energy and climate science.

ARENA-PAC Indonesia Segment starts to be operated as a new high-speed path to institutions connected via IDREN

March 20, 2023 by Maria Dumanlang

New 100-gigabits path from Guam to Malang stimulates the development of use cases and applications for research and education institutions in Indonesia

February 1, 2023 – The recently activated Guam–Malang link announced today marks the operation of new high-speed connectivity to support elevating services and collaboration available to research and education (R&E) parties in Indonesia. The operation of this connectivity was achieved as per the MoU signed among Arterial Research and Educational Network in the Asia Pacific (ARENA-PAC), Universitas Brawijaya (UB), and Indonesia Research and Education Network (IDREN) on August 31, 2022.

The 100 Gbps ARENA-PAC network connects to IDREN, with UB as its gateway, to Tokyo and other locations through Guam. The connection marks a giant leap for the R&E community in Indonesia to be able to exchange data more quickly and boost possible wider collaboration with the global R&E community.

APOnet members will collaborate for the exhibition at SC22, Dallas in Texas

October 26, 2022 by shivani7

– Full 400Gbps E2E data/video transfer using 6 links of 100Gbps across the Trans-Pacific.

– 8K video processing by service chaining method on 400Gbps capacity remote controlled edge device -the first in the world.

NICT Press Release

APOnet members will collaborate for the exhibition by NICT ICT Testbed Research and Development Promotion Center at SC22, Dallas, in Texas, USA. SC is the international conference and exhibition held in the United States in November every year and it focuses on High Performance Computing, Networking and Storage and Analysis.

In the exhibition of SC22, NICT conducts 4 demonstrations. One of them NICT exhibits “Full 400Gbps E2E (End to End) data/video transfer across the Trans-Pacific” led by Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan.

In the data transmission of 400Gbps, NICT utilizes 6 links of 100Gbps between Japan and U.S. in corporation with the members of APOnet, Pacific Wave, TransPAC, UH, ARENA-PAC, SingAREN, NII, HARNET and AARNet. 6 links of 100Gbps are shown in the following figure ‘Network configuration for NICT demonstration at SC22’.

**Network configuration for NICT demonstration at SC22**

6 links of 100Gbps between Japan and U.S are going through Pacific ocean, the United States, and venue in Dallas. These 6 links have become a reality by closely co-operating between JGN and APOnet as an international academic research network.

In high capacity data transfer such as this time, NICT needs to process data traffic flowing through the network steadily and provide the effective bandwidth and video quality requested in the demonstration experiment.

Simultaneous advanced operations technologies and strong operational co-operation are needed internationally.

Secondly, NICT exhibits “Uncompressed 8K video processing on edge-computing” led by Kanagawa Institute of Technology using 100Gbps link owned by Pacific Wave/TransPAC. The technology of DPDK (Data Plane Development Kit) enabled high speed video switching and additionally NICT has developed service chaining method by which we can link various video processes handling such as video switching, transcoding and color conversion of media. And in this demonstration, the edge device newly constructed in Japan with a video processing capacity of 400 Gbps will be remotely operated from the venue using the service chaining method for the first time in the world.

**Image figure of Service Chaining Method**

* SC22 held from 14 –17 November at Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas in Texas.

* APOnet connecting East Asia, Southeast Asia, Oceania, and North America. To create a production quality high-speed trans-oceanic network services delivery system and sharing of scientific instruments and data within research and education https://www.aponet.global

* Service chaining method linking various video processes handling flexibly such as video switching, transcoding and color conversion of media and latency adjustment and so on.

Manatua Consortium Confirms One Polynesia Fibre Cable Ready to Light up the South Pacific

August 5, 2020August 5, 2020 by Adriana Comerford

Manatua Consortium Press Release
July 22, 2020

– Ground-breaking 3600km cable ready for service –

– Unique international collaboration to transform regional speed, resilience, and affordability –

– Project completed on time and within budget despite severe global disruption –

– Landings in Tahiti & Bora Bora in French Polynesia; Rarotonga & Aitutaki in the Cook Islands; Niue and Samoa are live –

– First submarine cable connections for Niue and the Cook Islands to start a revolution in national connectivity –

SOUTH PACIFIC – Leaders of the four nations behind the Manatua One Polynesia Cable Project have announced that the cable was accepted last week from turnkey supplier and submarine cable leader, SubCom.

They further announced that, following final checks and preparations by the four operators managing the project as the Manatua Consortium, comprising Office des Postes et Télécommunications (OPT) in French Polynesia, Avaroa Cable Limited (ACL) in the Cook Islands, Telecom Niue Limited (TNL) in Niue, and Samoa Submarine Cable Company (SSCC) in Samoa, the system was officially “Ready for Service.”

The announcement is the culmination of three years of planning, design, cable manufacture, and cable laying. Since completing the cable lay in January 2020, the focus has been on commissioning and testing to confirm the system functions to specifications prior to handover.

Despite disruptions from the global COVID-19 pandemic during the latter stages of the project, which restricted the movement of critical test resources, the Manatua system has been delivered on time and within the original budget – a major testament to the collaboration and determination of the partners and SubCom.

Manatua is a ground-breaking collaboration initiated in April 2017 with the signing of an international treaty by the President of French Polynesia, the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, the Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, and the Premier of the Government of Niue.

The new 3600 km optical fibre submarine cable now spans the South Pacific and will transform speed, capacity, resilience, and affordability. The cable connects Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia, Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, Niue and Samoa. It is the first submarine cable in the Cook Islands and Niue, which until now have relied on satellite connectivity.

Once operational, the Manatua cable is designed to provide service for at least 25 years. The system comprises two optical fibre pairs, each capable of carrying data at 10 Terabits per second (= 10,000,000 Mbps).

Citizens of the consortium countries will benefit from Manatua as each operator works to make the new infrastructure available to retailers for incorporation into their local connectivity products and services.

Edouard Fitch, President of French Polynesia, said:

“I consider this cooperation as a fantastic technical advancement and a milestone in terms of connectivity for our Polynesian region, which will allow us to a broader connectivity to the World. This is an indication of our determination and a tangible action undertaken under the banner of the Polynesian Leaders Group. We should consider this project as a tremendous achievement and I wish to salute and acknowledge the unwavering support of the government of New Zealand (The Former Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade) who fostered this initiative four years ago.”

Honourable Henry Puna, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, said:

“Through Manatua, our four nations have achieved together something that was unattainable individually. Because of that collaborative spirit, our people will be connected. Our lives will be connected. Our futures will be more prosperous and rewarding. This project is the dawn of a new era of cooperation and collaboration across Polynesia. I am so proud of the work undertaken by Avaroa Cable and their partners in the other countries. It is the perfect model for the future of our region.”

Dalton Tagelagi, Premier of Niue, said:

“The Manatua Consortium is a testament to Polynesian countries working together to make a real difference to the lives of our people, our countries and our future. Niue’s connection to the Manatua Cable network is a key investment for a world-class telecommunications infrastructure to expedite Niue’s technological future that is crucial for the development of the country. It will enable a digital platform for improvements to education, health, other government services and to the private sector enhancing the business and tourism markets.”

Tuilaepa Malielegaoi, Prime Minister of the Independent State of Samoa, said:

“The Manatua Cable is a physical embodiment of the Polynesian leaders’ shared vision of a connected Pacific region; delivering fast, reliable and affordable internet for all. It will strengthen our cultural connections, drive economic development and employment, and create the foundation for the digital transformation of all our countries.”

ENDS

Further information

Enquiries about this news release should be made to Ranulf Scarbrough on +682-50731 or by email to ranulf.scarbrough@cookislands.gov.ck.

About the Manatua – One Polynesia Cable

The Manatua cable is a 3634 km, 2 fibre pairs system connecting Samoa, Niue, Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands and Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia. Each fibre pair will be capable of operating at up to 10 tera bits per second (= 10,000,000 megabits per second) using state-of-the-art fibre optic technology.

About the Manatua Cable Consortium

The ground-breaking Manatua cable consortium was formed following the signing of an International Treaty in April 2017 between the governments of the Cook Islands, Niue, Samoa and French Polynesia. The purpose of the consortium is to build and operate the Manatua cable. The consortium comprises Avaroa Cable Ltd (for the Cook Islands), Niue Telecom, the Samoa Submarine Cable Company and Office des Postes et Telecommunications (for French Polynesia). It is the first consortium of its type anywhere in the Pacific.

About Office des Postes et Télécommunications (OPT)

OPT Group of French Polynesia is a government-owned company with 3 main subsidiaries. ONATi operates and delivers fixed line infrastructure and services, is the ISP and the mobile operator; Tahiti Nui Telecoms former international operator is still hosting equipment’s such as satellites Teleport, Honotua cable landing station and now focusing on Data Centres and services, sells computers and provides IT services; Fare Rata provides postal and banking services. With its 87 stores spread on a surface as vast as Europe, OPT Group delivers services to all inhabited islands.

About Avaroa Cable Ltd (ACL)

ACL is a crown corporate entity which manages the Cook Islands involvement in the Manatua Cable project and its commercialisation. It is the newest international wholesale operator in the South Pacific with an independent board appointed by the Cook Islands Investment Corporation. ACL’s funding for its involvement in Manatua has been provided by the Cook Islands Government, the New Zealand Aid Programme and the Asian Development Bank.

About Telecom Niue (TNL)

Telecom Niue (TNL) is a state-owned enterprise (SOE) and the service provider for the Niue Government and its involvement in the Manatua Cable Project. TNL is overseen by an independent board and is involved in a broad range of projects. TNL is the prominent service provider for Government of Niue (GoN) internet services, provides Marine Radio 24/7 monitoring services for the Department of Maritime Services, and does supply and maintenance of civil aviation communications infrastructure. TNL’s funding for its involvement in Manatua is through a combination of GoN and the New Zealand Aid Programme.

About Samoan Submarine Cable Company (SSCC)

Samoa Submarine Cable Company (SSCC) is a company incorporated in Samoa, and based in Apia, which built and operates the Tui-Samoa submarine cable between Apia Samoa and Suva Fiji with spurs to Savaii and Wallis & Futuna. SSCC also provides cable landing party arrangements for other regional and trans-pacific international cable systems. SSCC’s mandate is to operate an open access and non-discriminatory landing party in order to deliver fast, reliable and affordable internet services to promote ICT innovation and Digital Transformation as an enabler of economic growth and social prosperity for the people of Samoa and the Pacific region.

About SubCom

SubCom is the leading global partner for today’s undersea data transport requirements. SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, maintains, and operates the industry’s most reliable fibre optic cable networks. Its flexible solutions include repeaterless to ultra-long-haul, offshore oil and gas, scientific applications, and marine services. SubCom brings end-to-end network knowledge and global experience to support on-time delivery, and meet the needs of customers worldwide. To date, the company has deployed over 200 networks – enough undersea cable to circle Earth more than 17 times at the equator.

About the Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing democracy comprising 15 islands in the South Pacific of c.15,000 people operating in free association with New Zealand.

About French Polynesia

French Polynesia is an overseas collectively of the French Republic with 118 islands spread on a surface of over 5 million square kilometres, as vast as Europe. The population is more than 270,000 inhabitants and more than 70% are concentrated on the main island of Tahiti.

About Niue

Niue is a large upraised coral atoll, and is a standalone land mass in the centre of a triangle of Polynesian islands made up of Tonga, Samoa and the Cook Islands. Niue’s population of approximately 1500 residents are dual citizens of this self-governing nation (1974) which is in free association with New Zealand. Niueans are bilingual, speaking both Vagahau Niue and English. Niue comprises 14 villages steeped in a rich culture and history that is believed to date back a thousand years.

About Samoa

Samoa, with a population around 200,000 people, is among the western most islands of Polynesia located in the central South Pacific Ocean. Samoa gained its independence from New Zealand in 1962 after more than a century of colonial rule. It is a member of the Commonwealth. The country was known as Western Samoa until 1997. Its capital and main commercial centre is Apia, on the island of Upolu.

July 23rd, 2020|Categories: Current Systems|Tags: Manatua, Manatua One, Polynesia, RFS, SubCom, submarine cable

JGA North is Ready for Service

July 8, 2020 by Adriana Comerford

Singapore, 6 July 2020 – RTI Connectivity Pte. Ltd. (RTI) and NEC Corporation (NEC) jointly announced the successful completion of the Japan-Guam-Australia North Cable System (JGA North). JGA North is approximately 2,700 kilometers in length and lands in Minami-Boso, Japan and Piti, Guam. The cable has an initial design capacity of 24 terabits per second (24 Tbps) minimum, increasing to 30 Tbps in the coming year.

JGA North cable spools onboard the installation vessel
and into a cable tank with capacity up to 3,500 km

JGA North seamlessly interconnects with Japan-Guam-Australia South (JGA South) in Guam, thereby extending the cable’s reach to both Sydney’s Central Business District and Australia’s Sunshine Coast. The last cable between Japan and Australia was constructed more than 20 years ago. The JGA cables (North and South) are already making tremendous improvements by establishing the fastest path between Tokyo and Sydney, delivering essential network diversity between Japan, Australia and the United States, and extending onward connectivity options over RTI’s Guam-connected hub-and-spoke network.

Russ Matulich, RTI’s CEO, said, “JGA North’s on-time and under budget completion is an extraordinary milestone to achieve in the current environment. At sea and on the ground, subsea cable experts were relentless in solving incredibly complex issues ranging from workplace safety to supply chain management. RTI is extremely grateful for the selfless contributions from so many of our friends around the globe – and especially for the engineers, marine crew, GTA’s local personnel, and NEC’s installation team. Working together under pressure, they delivered JGA North’s exceptional outcome, making it very clear: money doesn’t get cables built, relationships do!”

JGA North, JGA South, and SEA-US intersect in Guam. Combined, their design capacity exceeds 90 Tbps. All three cables have been constructed on-time and under budget.

Atsushi Kuwahara, General Manager of NEC’s Submarine Network Division said, “NEC is proud that we successfully completed this project in such a rapid timeframe. The construction of every submarine cable system presents a unique set of challenges, and the building of JGA was not immune to this. But by closely cooperating with RTI, we overcame tremendous obstacles and successfully completed JGA North on-time. Fast and reliable connectivity to the Internet is essential for everyone, and NEC will continue to contribute to the expansion of connectivity for society.”

JGA North, a private cable with RTI as the sole investor, is the northern segment of the Japan-Guam-Australia Cable System between Minami-Boso, Japan and Piti, Guam. JGA North was manufactured and built by NEC, and was funded by proceeds from Japanese financial institutions, including the Fund Corporation for the Overseas Development of Japan’s ICT and Postal Services Inc. (Japan ICT Fund) and NEC Capital Solutions. JGA South, the southern segment between Piti, Guam, the Sunshine Coast and Sydney, Australia, was manufactured and co-built by NEC and Alcatel Submarine Network (ASN) and has been in service since March 2020. Both JGA North and JGA South will interconnect at GNC – RTI’s neutral cable landing station and data center on Guam.

RTI’s owned assets and status are summarized as follows:

Subsea Cables:
•   SEA-US (30 Tbps): Operational since 3Q 2017
•   JGA South (36 Tbps): Operational since 1Q 2020
•   JGA North (24 Tbps): Ready for Service!
•   HK-G (48 Tbps): Under construction / completion targeted 2H 2021
•   HKA (77 Tbps): Under construction / completion targeted 2H 2021
•   SxS (96 Tbps): Contract in Force targeted for 1H 2021
•   Singapore-Guam (n/a): Contract in Force targeted for 1H 2021

Joint Carrier-Neutral Cable Landing Stations & Data Centres:
•   HMB in Hermosa Beach, California (1.2MW):
o   CLS: 4 subsea cables with design capacity of 220 Tbps are landed or under construction
o   DC: Collocation is under construction
•   GNC in Guam (2MW):
o   CLS: 3 subsea cables with design capacity of 90 Tbps are seamlessly interconnected
o   DC: Collocation and interconnection services will be announced shortly

RTI’s cable ownership exceeds 100 Tbps, totals 38,110 kilometers, and connects 7 cities, 4 countries, 3 continents and 2 hemispheres over a single seamless network.

# # #

About RTI
RTI Connectivity Pte. Ltd. is a leading independent undersea cable owner providing large-scale network solutions across a wide variety of industries including cloud companies, network operators, regional carriers, global enterprises, content providers and institutions for higher learning. RTI is headquartered in the city-state of Singapore. For more information, visit www.rticable.com.

RTI Media Contact:

Shota Masuda
Chief Strategy Officer
+81.90.2644.9219
smasuda@rticable.com

HAWAIKI, ASH, and ASTCA Join to Form New Broadband Alliance in the Pacific

June 4, 2020June 4, 2020 by Adriana Comerford

Hawaiki Press Release
May 28, 2020

New alliance to future-proof Pacific connectivity and boost capacity for American Samoa
Pacific business and communities secure valuable peace of mind
Agreement lays foundations for further collaboration between Hawaiki and regional carriers

AUCKLAND, New Zealand – Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP, American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) and American Samoa Hawaii Cable LLC (ASH) today announced an agreement forming a powerful three-way alliance dedicated to significantly boosting capacity linking Pacific territories and nations to Hawaii and the US mainland.

The multi-million dollar deal announced today brings three operators together to take advantage of the Hawaiki branch to American Samoa, securing trans-Pacific connectivity into the future and providing critical diversity to help drive ASH’s wholesale business and deliver fast, reliable international broadband to local operators and ISPs in American Samoa, Samoa, French Polynesia and other nations and territories.

Completed in 2018, the Hawaiki Transpacific Cable is a 15,000km, 67Tbps, carrier-neutral subsea fiber network linking Australia, New Zealand, American Samoa, Hawaii and five points-of-presence on the US West Coast.

ASTCA, a state-owned telecom in American Samoa, owns the 400km subsea branch that connects the Hawaiki trunk to the United States territory.

ASH, jointly owned by Fiji’s ATH Group and the American Samoa Government, owns the Samoa to American Samoa (SAS) cable and allows Hawaiki bandwidth and circuits to reach beyond American Samoa to Samoa and all interconnected points, including French Polynesia, Cook Islands, and Niue (via the soon-to-be-RFS Manatua cable), as well as Fiji and Wallis and Futuna (via the Tui Cable, commissioned in 2018).

Hawaiki CEO Remi Galasso described the agreement as an important milestone for communications in the South Pacific, forming the basis for future collaborations between the company and the growing number of carriers servicing the region.

“Bridging the digital divide in the Pacific is something that has been part of Hawaiki’s DNA from the beginning,” he said, adding: “In these challenging times, communications infrastructure and reliable connectivity have an even more critical role to play in supporting the continuity and development of businesses and communities in regions that have traditionally been underserved.”

Galasso highlighted the importance of Hawaiki’s partnership with ASTCA in bringing the transpacific cable into operation and said he looked forward to working with ASH as part of the newly formed alliance.

Paul Michael Young, President of ASH, said: “Due to the small size of most Pacific Islands telecommunications markets and fragmented submarine cable infrastructures, partnerships like this one show how individual interests can be knitted together to create something that is truly bigger and stronger than the sum of its parts. This deal is the culmination of months of negotiations with each party sacrificing something for the greater good: the people of American Samoa. ASH is grateful for the kindness and cooperation of its alliance partners, Hawaiki and ASTCA, and looks forward to many similar future endeavors.”

Joseph Pereira, Chairman of the Board of ASTCA said: “We have always believed that Governor Lolo Moliga’s decision to invest in building a branch connecting American Samoa to the main Hawaiki trunk would benefit other countries and territories. ASTCA is very happy that other Pacific communities will benefit from our decision to connect American Samoa to the world through Hawaiki and ASH.”

# # #

About Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP

Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, owns and operates the Hawaiki submarine cable system (Hawaiki). Hawaiki is the first and only carrier-neutral submarine cable linking Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Oregon, on the U.S. west coast. For more information, visit www.hawaikicable.co.nz or connect with Hawaiki on Twitter and LinkedIn.

About ASTCA

The American Samoa Telecommunications Authority (ASTCA) is a telecommunications service provider in American Samoa, owned by the American Samoa Government and licensed by the Federal Communications Commission. ASTCA uses a fiber-to-the premises G-PON network and a wireless 4g LTE+ network to deliver connectivity to customers on five islands. ASTCA is connected to the Hawaiki trans-Pacific subsea fiber optic cable network by a 400-kilometer subsea branch; the branch is owned by ASTCA. ASTCA also provides international data connectivity circuits to other Pacific islands through agreements with other service providers. For more information, contact the ASTCA CEO at ceo@astca.net.

About ASH Cable LLC

The American Samoa Hawaii Cable (ASH) is the international fiber optic cable between American Samoa and Samoa. The Samoa-American Samoa Cable (SAS Cable) will provide inter-island communication, as well as enabling users in Samoa to access the ASH cable capacity and connect to the global networks. ASH Cable is a public-private partnership between ATH Group and the American Samoa Government. For more information, contact ASH at ceo@ashcable.com.

Media Contacts

David Binning – AwesomTech Media Consulting

+61.406.397.033

David.binning@awesomtech.com