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October 11, 2007
Tokyo, October 11, 2007 ? NEC Corporation has received an order from General Communication, Inc. (NASDAQ:GNCMA; hereinafter GCI) to supply a submarine cable, amplifiers and line terminal equipment. GCI is the largest telecom operator in Alaska, which provides fixed line and mobile communication as well as cable TV services. The submarine cable will be a total of 600 kilometers long.
The order involves the extension of a submarine cable system, Alaska United Fiber System-West (AUFS-West), installed by NEC in 2004. This cable currently runs a total distance of 2,500 km from Seward, Alaska, to Warrenton, Oregon. The extension will run from an existing branching unit (a splitter device) to Ketchikan, Alaska. The new cable system is scheduled to be handed over in late next year.
GCI is planning to actively expand the communication infrastructure in the region of southeastern Alaska, and is promoting the installation of this new cable as part of those efforts.
NEC received the current order based on recognition of its extensive track record in this field, and of the high degree of system reliability and project execution capabilities demonstrated during the construction of the AUFS-West system.
The demand for undersea cable has grown substantially in recent years due to the increase in communication traffic. Internet usage has increased rapidly in the Asian region in particular, bringing about an increased need not only for the expansion of existing systems, but also for the installation of new cables.
NEC has been involved in the installation of key submarine cable systems in the Asia/Pacific region and throughout the world for more than 30 years, and has gained an excellent reputation for both reliable system quality and execution of various projects. It has installed a total of more than 55,000 km of cable, more than 3,200 units of submersible repeaters, and more than 1,800 units of line terminal equipment.
Recently, in April of this year, NEC received an order in collaboration with Alcatel Submarine Networks for an undersea optic fiber cable project (Asia America Gateway (AAG)) spanning the Pacific Ocean from Southeast Asia to the West Coast of the United States via Hong Kong and Hawaii, which has a total length of more than 20,000 km. It is also currently conducting two projects involving the installation of cables connecting Russia and Japan.
NEC will continue to expand its undersea cable systems business on a global scale, in terms of installing new cable and expanding on existing systems.
NEC Corporation is one of the world's leading providers of Internet, broadband network and enterprise business solutions dedicated to meeting the specialized needs of its diverse and global base of customers. NEC delivers tailored solutions in the key fields of computer, networking and electron devices, by integrating its technical strengths in IT and Networks, and by providing advanced semiconductor solutions through NEC Electronics Corporation. The NEC Group employs more than 150,000 people worldwide. For additional information, please visit the NEC home page at: http://www.nec.com
