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Fiber Optic Cable will be up and running by year’s end
If everything goes as planned, the territory should be connected to fiber optic cable by December.
Governor Togiola Tulafono announced during his weekend radio program that a deposit has been made for the fiber optic cable deal and a ship date has been scheduled for later this year in November.
An agreement between the American Samoa Government and the parties involved in the redeployment of the Pacific Rim East undersea fiber optic cable that will connect American Samoa with the Aloha State is expected to be signed sooner than later.
Earlier this month, Governor Togiola signed into law legislation that amends the $20-million-dollar loan from the American Samoa Government’s Employee Retirement Funds, to include $3 million for the fiber optic cable project.
(Other projects funded under the new legislation include maintenance for the Governor H. Rex Lee Auditorium, and much needed repair work for the visa road in Lauli’i).
In his letter to the Fono last week, Togiola wrote, “These projects, especially the fiber optic cable project, will assist directly with the economic development of the territory, as well as improvement of the health, safety, and welfare of our residents.”
The fiber optic cable project seems to be progressing very well. The cable is already in place and a submarine vessel will be moving the cable to make the connection between here and Hawaii.
The American Samoa Government’s share of the project is $9 million, of which $3 million is due upon signing of the agreement, with the remaining $6 million to be paid by August 1. With that, ASG will own one-third of the company that owns the cable.
The PacRim fiber optic cable deal involves the ASG, Telecom New Zealand, Merchant Capital, and Elandia Incorporated.
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