The Hindu Business Line : FLAG Telecom cable loop to link Egypt, Hong Kong

RELIANCE Infocomm subsidiary, FLAG Telecom, on Tuesday announced a new terabit loop cable project providing multiple landings in the Gulf region, with submarine links stretching to Egypt in the west and to Hong Kong in the East.

The network, called FALCON, provides the backbone to deliver advanced broadband services to the Middle East, India and China, which have been traditionally underserved, with high-capacity broadband connectivity, said Mr Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries.

Countries that have potential to directly access the connectivity include Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iran, Qatar and Iraq, all of which have expressed interest in joining FALCON and are in advanced discussions with FLAG Telecom regarding their participation, said a news release from Reliance Infocomm. These companies include OmanTel, Batelco and Telecom Egypt.

In India, FALCON will interconnect with Reliance's 80,000 km domestic network, offering access in the major cities along the route, said the news release.

The forecast initial services date is within 12 months. All initial engineering work has been completed and preparations for marine survey are underway, said the news release quoting Mr Patrick Gallagher, CEO, FLAG Telecom. The company is now in final negotiations with a shortlist of suppliers.

The western link of FALCON will land at Telecom Egypt's landing station at Suez, where it will integrate with FLAG's global network.

The new system will then follow a route through the Red Sea along the East African coast landing in Oman, and from there it will cross the Arabian Sea and reach a new Reliance-owned landing station in Mumbai.

From Chennai, FALCON will again become a submarine system linking India to Hong Kong, where the cable will once again integrate with FLAG's global network.