Samoa’s new Tui-Samoa Cable will span more than 1,470 km, connecting Samoa to Fiji with branching units to Wallis & Futuna and Vanua Levu, Fiji, enhancing fast, reliable and affordable internet services across the region.
Apia, Samoa and Paris, France, 25 November 2016 – on 18 October 2016 Samoa Submarine Cable Company Limited (SSCC) and Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, part of Nokia, signed a turnkey contract to roll out a new 1,470 km submarine cable system named Tui-Samoa Cable, linking Apia, Samoa, to Suva, Fiji, providing an advanced broadband highway in order to drive social and economic growth.
Six weeks later the SSCC is pleased to announce the addition of the Territory of Wallis & Futuna Islands and the island of Vanua Levu (Fiji) as part of the Tui-Samoa submarine cable system. Tui-Samoa Cable will deliver up to 8 terabits-per-second (Tbit/s) capacity using 100 Gbit/s transmission technology.
Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, said:
“Tui-Samoa Cable will help improve the lives of ordinary Samoan people; it will provide school children in rural 
areas the opportunity to access a whole new world of information and access online education. Businesses will be able to dramatically increase their customer base and aggressively market their goods and services online to the world and sell “Made in Samoa”. Government will also leverage the improved connectivity to speed up its eGovernment program and improve service delivery to our people. The ‘Strategy for the Development of Samoa’ (SDS) sets out government’s vision to help improve the lives of our people, and Tui-Samoa Cable is one of the key government enablers that will help us achieve that goal.
“I would like to challenge the Samoa submarine cable company to deliver upon your promise to provide fast, reliable and affordable internet not only for Samoa but also for our partners from Wallis & Futuna and Vanua Levu.”
Pepe Fia’ailetoa Christian Fruean, Chairperson of SSCC, said:
“Samoa Submarine Cable Company is committed to delivering fast, reliable and affordable internet services as a basic right for all Samoan people; we are also pleased to extend that opportunity to the people of Wallis & Futuna and Vanua Levu. Information is power and SSCC is pleased to be the means to empower rural and developing communities by providing them access to information and services that will help improve their people’s lives and also accelerate ICT development and growth in the region.”
Paul Gabla Vice President Sales & Marketing, of Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks, said: “The continued need for broadband access is driving new projects in the Asia-Pacific region. We are pleased to work with SSCC in helping them enhance broadband capacity and connectivity for Wallis & Futuna and also Vanua Levu, institutions and businesses by making our expertise and knowledge of the Pacific area available.”
About Samoa Submarine Cable Company Limited
SSCC is a private company registered in Apia Samoa which will build, manage and operate the Tui-Samoa submarine cable between Apia, Samoa and Suva, Fiji on behalf of the Government of Samoa. The main trunk will support branching units to Wallis & Futuna and Vanua Levu, Fiji. SSCC will operate a Cooperative Sustainable Wholesale Model (CSWM) with the mandate to deliver fast, reliable and affordable internet services to stimulate ICT innovation and development as an enabler of economic growth and social prosperity for the people of Samoa.
About Alcatel-Lucent SUBMARINE NETWORKS
Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks leads the industry in terms of capacity and installed base with more than 580,000 km of optical submarine cables/systems deployed worldwide. From traditional telecom to new Oil & Gas applications, ASN provides every part of a global undersea transmission network, all tailored to the customers’ needs. An extensive service portfolio completes its comprehensive offering for the submarine business, including project management, installation and commissioning, as well as marine operations and maintenance performed by its fleet of seven cable ships.
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