Bluesky Pacific Group launch new Submarine Cable system to enhance
connectivity across Pacific
Moana Cable system will span more than 9,700 km, connecting New Zealand to Hawaii and Cook
Islands to Samoa, enhancing capacity and ensuring redundancy across the region
Bluesky Pacific Group has signed a turnkey contract with Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks to roll out
a new submarine cable system spanning more than 9,700km across the Pacific.
Named Moana Cable, the system will link New Zealand and Hawaii via Samoa and American Samoa.
Moana Cable will use the latest submarine cable technology, providing much-needed capacity and
redundancy in the region to address increased traffic requirements as mobile broadband and the
provision of fibre access to homes and businesses take center stage in the region.
With completion scheduled in 2018, the Moana Cable system will have two main segments: the first,
based on two fiber pairs, will connect New Zealand to Hawaii over 8,000 km, serving Samoa and
American Samoa and significantly enhancing route diversity for New Zealand; the second segment,
based on one fiber pair, will link the Cook Islands to the Samoa hub over 1,700 km.
The Cook Islands segment will connect Rarotonga and Aitutaki to the Moana Cable system, providing
world class international connectivity. Bluesky will work with the Government of the Cook Islands to
develop the Cook Islands cable.
The Moana Cable is also designed to accommodate the connection of additional Pacific island nations
such as Niue, Tokelau and Tonga, which lie in close proximity to the New Zealand to Hawaii trunk, as
well as French Polynesia on the East near the Cook Islands.
Adolfo Montenegro Bluesky Pacific Group CEO said: “We are committed to serving our customers best.
Moana Cable is an important part of Bluesky’s vision of connecting our Pacific communities around the
world. For the Pacific Islands, it is important to tap into a digital highway between the larger markets to
gain the benefit of economies of scale. In this instance the digital highway is Moana Cable connecting
New Zealand and USA. Cost effective and reliable telecommunications bring significant benefits to
education, commercial, medical and governmental activities and play a vital role in economic and social
development.”
Bluesky Pacific Group, a subsidiary of Amper S.A., has a strong track record as a submarine cable
owner and operator with its ASH Cable connecting American Samoa to Hawaii and SAS Cable
connecting Samoa to American Samoa. ASH Cable is part owned by the Government of American
Samoa. Anchor customers of the Moana Cable include Bluesky Pacific Group companies and existing
ASH Cable customers.
“Our investment in Moana Cable is in alignment with Amper’s strategy of growing our footprint in the
Pacific and supporting Bluesky’s vision of connecting our pacific communities around the world. We
anticipate our participation in Moana will be funded internally through existing free cash flow generated
by Bluesky, said Amper CEO and Moana Cable Chairman, Jaime Espinosa de los Monteros.
Bluesky has also signed a memorandum of understanding with RTI Inc. based in San Francisco, for
collaboration and interconnection with its SEA-US submarine cable linking Asia to Hawaii and to the
West Coast of the United States. This technology partnership will enable the Moana Cable to provide
unrivalled connectivity from New Zealand and the Pacific to the US and Asia.
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The Moana Cable will be the first long-haul submarine cable in the Pacific islands region relying on the
latest innovative 200 Gbit/s transmission technology, with ultimate capacity between Hawaii and New
Zealand of 20 Terabits-per-second (Tb/s).
Under the terms of the contract, ASN will deploy its advanced submarine optical technology based on
the innovative 1620 SOFTNODE and OADM branching units to maximize capacity and network
flexibility. ASN will be responsible for the project on a turnkey basis, from system design to installation
and commissioning, as well as marine operations (cable laying and maintenance).
Amper S.A/Bluesky Pacific Group
The Bluesky Pacific Group is a majority owned subsidiary of Amper SA.
Bluesky Pacific Group is a leading regional telecommunications provider in the Pacific operating in Samoa,
American Samoa, Cook Islands and New Zealand. The Group includes American Samoa Hawaii Cable, LLC, which
owns and operates ASH Cable, from American Samoa to Hawaii, and SAS Cable connecting Samoa to American
Samoa. ASH Cable LLC holds FCC licenses for landing cable in Hawaii and American Samoa and also holds a Samoa
Submarine Cable Landing license.
Amper S.A/Bluesky Pacific Group press contact
Nicole Crump
ncrump@blueskypacificgroup.com
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T: +64 9 215 7858