The Governments of Vanuatu and New Caledonia will sign a Memorandum of Understanding today that will pave the way for a second submarine cable to be installed from Port Vila to Lifou, in New Caledonia.
Interchange Limited (ICL) General Manager (GM), Willie Karie, confirmed that an MOU signing will take place between Prime Minister Bob Loughman, New Caledonia President Louis Mapou, ICL and the Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie (OPT-NC).
Vanuatu Daily Post reports Karie said Vanuatu only has one submarine cable connected from Fiji.
This new initiative will be a backup to address Internet downfalls in the future.
Karie added that each government has given the green light and it is now a matter of putting pen to paper.
He mentioned that the after signing agreement, ICL and OPT-NC will work on a Landing Party Agreement next month.
The OPT-NC is the sole authority of telecommunications in New Caledonia and ICL is happy to partner with them on this project. ICL is the country’s internet wholesaler which provides bandwidth to Vodafone, Digicel and Telsat.
Karie said the cable will run across Tanna to Lifou. He added that it is a good initiative as people are now fully utilising electronics and digital environments.
The country’s first marine cable was installed in 2014. The ICL GM said submarine cable internet is faster than satellite connection.