Network operator FirstPath today laid a new two-segment cable across Sydney Harbour to service commercial, government and residential customers.
The company started laying the cable at 9:30am at Dawes Point next to the Harbour Bridge, after rush hour to avoid the ferries travelling across the harbour. One length spans Dawes Point and Blues Point, while the other goes under the Harbour Bridge.
The new cable will offer short low-latency paths between Sydney and the North Shore, reaching potential users such as the ASX, Metronode, Equinix and Global Switch data centres.
FirstPath's cable is not the only fibre resident in the Sydney Harbour. Competing network operator Vocus laid a 1.6 kilometre, two-segment underwater cable there in 2012.
FirstPath's cable is manufactured by Prysmian. The FlexTube XS cables can be wound in a tight radius without breakage or signal loss.
Each segment features 720 cores for a total of 1440, at a cost of up to $750,000.
The cable being laid.
Network operator FirstPath today laid a new two-segment cable across Sydney Harbour to service commercial, government and residential customers.