Bharti, Global Telecom Cos To Set Up Asia-US Link

New Delhi: Large global telecommunications companies along with Bharti Airtel have signed an agreement in Kuala Lumpur to set up the first high bandwidth optical fiber submarine cable system from South East Asia directly to the US. The cable system, known as the Asia-America Gateway (AAG), will be built at a cost of about $560 million. The birth of AAG cable system will compliment existing high bandwidth cable systems in the region. In addition, the AAG cable system will provide the much-needed diversity against traditional routes to the US, mainly carrying broadband traffic. This is important considering recent earthquakes that took out almost all cable systems in the region. The cable project is spearheaded by 17 telecommunications companies namely, AiTi, AT&T, BayanTel, Bharti, BT Global Network Services, CAT Telecom, ETPI, Maxis, PCP Company, PLDT, Saigon Postal Corporation, StarHub, Telekom Malaysia, Telstra, TNZL, Viettel and VNPT. The AAG cable system is designed to provide upgradeable, future proof transmission facilities that support Internet and e-commerce.