Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (ASN), the undersea cables subsidiary of Alcatel-Lucent, has won the development of the Sonangol Offshore Optical Cable (SOOC), a critical infrastructure project designed to reduce the cost-per-bit associated with the delivery of data traffic to Angola, including its offshore oil and gas production facilities.
A press release said that the 1,900 km SOOC undersea network will connect to landing points at four locations along the Angolan coast, providing a high-speed connection between the Luanda area and Cabinda to fulfill national telecom needs. The development phase is under way and construction work is scheduled to start in the second half of 2016.
“After connecting Angola to the global network through several undersea cables, ASN is pleased to further contribute to the development of the Angolan fiber optical infrastructure,” said ASN Oil & Gas General Manager Yohann BĂ©nard. “This award is a prime illustration that submarine fiber-optic technology is becoming the standard telecom medium for offshore assets.”