A 4,700km Coral Sea Cable System Is Installed in Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands
By Abigail Opiah, Data Economy
July 16, 2019
Internet service provider firm Vocus Group has announced that the 4,700km Coral Sea cable system it constructed has now been installed at the landing sites at both Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
In the Solomon Islands yesterday, a ceremony featuring a symbolic handover of a ‘golden buoy’ formally marked the beginning of work to lay the cable between Honiara and Sydney.
Taking part in the ceremony were Solomon Islands Prime Minister, the Hon Manasseh Sogavare, Acting Australian High Commissioner, Ms Sally-Anne Vincent, along with traditional landowners, senior government officials, members of the board of Solomon Islands Submarine Cable Company Limited, and representatives from Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Vocus.
Contracted by the Australian Government to construct the Coral Sea Cable System, Vocus Chief Executive, Enterprise & Government, Andrew Wildblood said the project was making excellent progress.
“This is a large scale and complex submarine cable build and our team, together with our partners, are doing a great job. It’s exciting to reach more key milestones and for this cable system to be taking shape,” he said.
“Our progress to date is testament to the expertise in fibre networks and large-scale project management we have at Vocus, and the strong relationships we have with the Australian Government agencies and stakeholders involved.
“Vocus is very proud of our role in building critical infrastructure for the people, businesses and communities of Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.”
The ceremony followed an official tour of ASN’s cable-laying ship, the Ile de Brehat, by the Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon John Maneniaru, Acting High Commissioner Vincent and other senior representatives.