Baltica Fiber Optic Submarine Cable System Underway: Six Telecom Operators Collaborate

Strategic Insights -

Poland-based Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TP S.A.), Swedish Telia AB, Danish Tele Danmark A/S, Norwegian Telenor AS, Finnish Telecom Finland Oy, and GN Great Northern Telegraph Co. have signed a memorandum of understanding to build a new fiber optic submarine cable system, dubbed Baltica. The project aims to connect Poland with Sweden and Denmark, creating a second submarine cable route from the Nordic countries to Poland. Estimated to cost around $20 million, the cable system is expected to be operational by the end of next year.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Baltica fiber optic submarine cable system will connect Poland with Sweden and Denmark, providing a second submarine cable route from the Nordic countries to Poland.
  • The project involves six telecom operators: Telekomunikacja Polska S.A. (TP S.A.), Telia AB, Tele Danmark A/S, Telenor AS, Telecom Finland Oy, and GN Great Northern Telegraph Co.
  • The estimated cost of the project is $20 million, with $2 million to $3 million allocated for Synchronous Digital Hierarchy (SDH) equipment running at 2.5 Gigabits per second (OC-48).
  • The total route mileage for the three segments totals roughly 400 kilometers and will contain no underwater repeaters.
  • A feasibility study costing about $1.3 million has already been conducted.
  • Several heavy hitters in the telecom business, including AT&T, MCI, Sprint, France Telecom, and Deutsche Telekom, have been invited to attend a project meeting in April to become co-owners in the project.
  • Interested parties have up to five weeks to respond to the tender.

Statistics:

  • Estimated project cost: $20 million
  • Cost for SDH equipment: $2 million to $3 million
  • Total route mileage: roughly 400 kilometers
  • Number of underwater repeaters: 0
  • Cost of feasibility study: $1.3 million
  • Duration for tender response: up to five weeks
  • Number of telecom operators involved: 6

Sources:

  • "Baltica Fiber Optic Submarine Cable System Underway: Six Telecom Operators Collaborate" (undated)
  • "Tele Danmark A/S" (undated)
  • "Telecom Finland Oy" (undated)