APCN starts operating

APCN starts operating

SINGAPORE (AFP): The Asia-Pacific region's largest single
optical fiber network began operating yesterday, speeding up
telecommunications traffic across the region.

The 11,840-kilometer (7,350-mile) Asia-Pacific Cable Network
(APCN), a project costing US$580 million, involves 51
international telecommunications networks.

A statement from Singapore Telecommunications Ltd., one of the
participating groups, said the system links Hong Kong, Indonesia,
Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan
and Thailand.

"APCN, which adopts the latest optical fiber amplifier
technology, represents a major step toward improved
telecommunications among countries in the Asia-Pacific region,"
the statement said.

The network is capable of handling 786,240 telephone calls
simultaneously, and will include other services such as Internet
services, video-conferencing and television transmission.