[London, ENGLAND] Network operator 360networks lit a
major segment of it European fiber optic network on
Thursday, spanning the U.K., France, Germany and Holland.
It will link up with 360atlantic, a transatlantic
cable between Europe and North America that is
due to enter service in the second quarter this year.
Around half the new segment is in Germany where it
is already poised for use, pending German regulatory
approval. The remaining miles will go into service
next month.
Ashwin Chitamun, vice-president of 360networks’ European
division, said the occasion was an important milestone
in 360networks’ aggressive European rollout of broadband
and colocation services.
“Our lit network will provide our customers in Western Europe
seamless connectivity to our extensive global network linking
four continents,” said Chitamun.
360networks is not only laying fiber optic cables but is
also establishing a massive 3.7 million square feet of network
and server co-location space at strategic points worldwide.
In the U.K. it has its European Networks Operation Center
from which it continually monitors the global network.
By mid-2002, the planned network is expected to span 143,000
kilometers (89,000 miles), linking over a hundred cities
in the Americas, Asia and Europe.
360networks says it obtains an improvement in efficiency
and therefore a reduction in costs by lighting only those
portions of its network needed in the immediate future.
Initially, the new European segment will operate at 60
gigabits per second, but it has the capacity to rise to
9.6 terabits per second when demand is sufficient.
360networks can be reached at www.360.net.
