Vancouver -- 360networks announced today it has completed the installation and lighting of an undersea network between the United States and Brazil. This network is the first fiber optic cable to provide high-speed connectivity between South America and North America. The 6,700-kilometer (4,200-mile) cable connects Tuckerton, New Jersey, Bermuda and Fortaleza, Brazil. It is now ready for commercial service, and will provide bandwidth capacity of 80 gigabits per second by mid-March 2001. This is the first completed segment of 360americas, a 28,000-kilometre (17,400-mile) network linking North America and South America. Upon completion in early 2002, the three-ring network will link the United States, Bermuda, Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, and provide system capacity of 1.28 terabits per second.

"Thanks to the quick progress we have made on 360americas, we are now delivering improved communications to Brazil," said Scott Lyons, vice-president of submarine systems at 360networks. "360americas, which is on time and on budget, is a critical segment of the global system that 360networks is rapidly completing."

http://www.360.net