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.