(Jamaica Gleaner) Deep Blue Cable Limited, the start-up enterprise planning to create a new fibre-optic ring across the region, says it will partner with Digicel Group on a multi-government contract in the Caribbean.
Digicel’s founder, Denis O’Brien, is an investor in Deep Blue.
Under the contract, which spans countries in the Lesser Antilles, Deep Blue said in a release that it would provide the expertise for laying the submarine cable. The 15-year contract previously announced by Digicel includes St Lucia, Grenada and St Vincent & the Grenadines.
“The unprecedented scope and scale of this project will ensure a transformative result for the people of these countries and establish the Caribbean as a leader in the global economy,” said Steve Scott, CEO at Deep Blue Cable, in the update on its website.
The company has not responded to requests for comment on the partnership.
Deep Blue, in an update on its own operation, said O’Brien had incorporated the company to construct and operate a new subsea system to serve the region. As such, Digicel is a substantial anchor client in the new operation.
“Deep Blue Cable’s deeply experienced team and firsthand understanding of the need for advanced telecom services in this region are huge assets to this project,” commented Niall Savage, program director at Digicel, in the press release.
The Caribbean Regional Communications Infrastructure Program, CARCIP, which is backed by World Bank funding, has three main components: a government wide area network or GWAN, a schools’ network and a submarine cable between St Vincent and Grenada with landings on five Grenadine islands.
Deep Blue Cable, which assisted Digicel in the procurement process through vendor selection and contract negotiations, recommended contractor IT International Telecom Marine SRL of Barbados Digicel to deliver the CARCIP submarine solution. IT will use Nexans Norway as the project’s subplant supplier.
Development of the system is expected to finalised by mid- to late-2019.
