New Trans-Pacific undersea cable turned on

The first phase of the Trans-Pacific Express (TPE) submarine cable system has been activated. The new 18,000 kilometer (over 11,000 mile) fiber optic undersea cable directly connects Mainland China, the U.S., South Korea and Taiwan.

Currently, the system runs at 5.12 terabits. When phase two is completed, TPE will be a 6 terabit system.

Initial carriers investing in TPE were China NetCom, China Telecom, China Unicom, Chunghwa Telecom, Korea Telecom and Verizon Business; AT&T and NTT Communications signed on earlier this year. The addition of NTT also added a cable landing site to Japan, making for a total of six sites - one in Japan, two in mainland China, and one each in Taiwan, South Korea, and the U.S.

For more:
- Review the Verizon Business press release [1] announcing TPE undersea cable turn-up

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