Prysmian was hired by Australia’s FirstPath to build and install the highest capacity underwater cable possible.
The cable was installed under the Sydney Harbour Bridge, providing two separate cross-harbour links to add to FirstPath’s fibre network.
The project required the collaboration of multiple R&D centres within Prysmian. In six months, after initial consultation, Prysmian was able to design, manufacture and deliver the project.
FirstPath needed a new underwater solution. The cable needed to be small and light-weight for easy installation but also offer the highest possible fibre capacity. Prysmian’s design combined its BendBrightXS fibre with advanced Flextube cable technology, to create a fibre dense underwater cable.
“This installation is a major step forward for FirstPath and further expands our network infrastructure enabling us to tackle the challenges of increasing fibre demand” says FirstPath CEO Stephen Carter . “The ability to more than double the installed fibre capacity for almost the same installation cost of the typical 312 fibre underwater cable was a very attractive offering from Prysmian. Their outside of the box thinking was a perfect fit for our companies needs.”
The installation presents a first for both companies. FirstPath’s first underwater cable deployment and Prysmian’s highest fibre-count underwater cable. “This innovative approach provides 720 fibre cores in the same form factor as a conventional 312 fibre solution. This lowers the total cost of ownership, providing over double the fibre capacity per cable for the same installation costs. This way we can provide even more value to our customers” says Alice Codenotti , Telecom Account Manager at Prysmian.