FibraLink Jamaica Limited will this week begin laying down its fibre optic cable network that will link Jamaica to the rest of the world, and for the first time provide an alternative to the network now controlled by Cable & Wireless.

The network, which is scheduled to become operational by early next year, is expected to drive down the local cost of broadband Internet connection, and allow for a rapid proliferation of Internet service throughout the island.

Science & technology, minister, Phillip Paulwell (right), examines fibreoptic cables on the cable-laying ship IT Intrepid yesterday. He is assisted by Rick Pardy, the managing director of FibraLink Jamaica.

FibraLink and another firm, Trans Caribbean Cable Company, both secured licence from the government nearly two years ago to provide the undersea fibreoptic cable link as part of a move by the government to bring competition to what is still a virtual monopoly industry.

Trans Caribbean has until December 2006 to lay its cables.
FibraLink estimates that the investment will cost US$45 million.
Yesterday, science & technology minister, Phillip Paulwell, said that FibraLink would take about 30 days to lay the cable and another month to test it.

"This involves running fibre to three main connection points - Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Bull Bay - and then finally linking to Puerto Rico...making our much anticipated link to North America and the rest of the world a reality," said Paulwell during a tour of the sea vessel IT Intrepid that has been commissioned to carry out the networking.

"This is truly a historic development," noted Paulwell. "As you are aware, government's aim has been to provide the telecommunication infrastructure necessary for us to be a part of the knowledge-based world. This is the high point of all our efforts to drive down the cost of high speed voice and data services by opening up the area to competition."

The investments are expected to provide Jamaica with enough broadband capacity to make it the telecommunications centre of the region.

Yesterday, Rick Pardy the managing director of FibraLink, said that his company had done an exhaustive survey of the reefs, and had undertaken numerous consultations with the National Environment Planning Agency (NEPA) in order to minimise any negative impact on the environment.

"We recognise the importance of the reefs and will be using special equipment to go through the reefs and protect them," he said.
According to Pardy, FibraLink secured approval from NEPA and was now awaiting the permit, which he said would have been ready by later yesterday .

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