Pipe's submarine cable: still not certain, but very close

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 28 October 2007 13:55

Business IT - Networking

Pipe Networks has yet to commit to building its planned submarine cable link to Guam, but says it is putting in number of pre-requisite applications.

The company says it "continues to be actively engaged in negotiations...of contracts with domestic and international parties" and that until all such agreements are finalised it will not proceed with the project. However, it says there has been sufficient progress to date to make these applications necessary.

The project is current know as "Project Runway" but the cable system is to be called PPC 1. It will have its Sydney landfall at Collaroy on Sydney's northern beaches and Pipe International is finalising settlement of the Australian landing station at Cromer (the suburb immediately inland from Collaroy).

Other applications which have or are about to be made include:
- an application to the Australian Communications and Media Authority for Pipe International to become a licensed telecommunications carrier (parent Pipe Networks is already a licensed carrier). This application "outlines some key design specifications of the system, including additional fibre pairs and branching units for future installation of spurs to strategic locations within and outside of Australia," according to Pipe Networks.
 
- The NSW Department of Lands has provided conditional approval for Pipe International to occupy crown land for the installation of the cable system;

- the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force have both provided provisional approval for PPC 1 to cross specified military exercise area;
- Pipe International proposes to lodge its Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act permits shortly.
 
Pipe announced in August that if Roject Runway were to go ahead, Tyco Telecommunications would build ad lay the cable system and had committed to a ready for service date of end of Q4 2008. Pipe said this would allow it to interconnect and provision customers in Q1 2009. The value of the deal was not disclosed.