Reliance Communications’ FALCON Cable System commences Commercial Operations

Thiru Dayanidhi Maran said, “FALCON heralds a new era in the telecom landscape of the country by providing a reliable and cost-effective source of international bandwidth.” “The initiatives of Reliance and others will provide healthy competition and robust growth. The carriers will further bring down their tariff in line with the prevailing market rates. The benefits would soon be experienced by Indian enterprises and consumers. I am confident that availability of high quality international connectivity would catalyze the broadband revolution for the masses, and at the same time boost the vistas of the burgeoning ITeS and BPO enterprises,” added Thiru Maran. 

 

Thiru Maran said that the modest growth in the bandwidth demand would soon exhaust the current inventory of unutilized circuits on many submarine cables. The Minister asked the Middle East countries to jointly work together to bring down the landing cost in respect of the laying of submarine cables in their territories. 

 

He added that almost 5 million subscribers are getting added every month to the Indian telecom network. He equated this new users’ number with the population of entire Finland. He further said that the current broad policy to target 20 million subscribers by the year 2010 is going to increase the demand of huge bandwidth. In view of the future bandwidth growth potential, all operators are trying to have their own cable system to meet the future demand. India–Sri Lanka submarine cable project by BSNL will soon be launched, he said. He further said that MTNL and BSNL have joined hands to lay submarine cable system connecting India with South-East Asia and the Middle East which would further extend to the USA and Europe. 

 

Thiru Maran lauded the MTNL and BSNL who are now working jointly to link India with Malaysia and Singapore through land route. Thiru Maran also congratulated Mr. Anil Ambani on FLAG Telecom Global Network becoming the world’s largest under-sea cable system covering 65,000 route kms. 

 

Mr. Anil Ambani said, “In a world torn by violence and conflict, FALCON will bring the calming influence of communication and dialogue. It will enhance the flow of ideas and information.” “FALCON will have an equally powerful impact on the economic front, driving higher levels of trade, commerce and global integration,” Mr. Ambani added. The vision at Reliance ADA Group is to “give millions of ordinary people across the world the means to realize their dreams, the power to shape their destiny, the chance to fulfil their true and diverse potential,” Mr. Ambani said. 

 

The FLAG Global Network bridges the distance between 35 diverse developed and developing economies, connecting the global economic hubs in the USA, UK, Germany, France, Middle East, India, Hong Kong, Singapore, China and Japan, to name a few. RCL’s FLAG is the first and only global network of this scale to provide integrated connectivity on one seamless network to the three highest growing regions – India, Middle East and China in terms of international bandwidth demand. “We are glad that the FALCON project has been completed in a record time and is being launched four months ahead of schedule with significant cost savings. Our pre-sales initiatives have resulted in an overwhelming response are an encouraging indicator of the future business prospects,” said Mr. Punit Garg, CEO, FLAG Telecom, on an 11-country video conference from Egypt. 

 

Further, FALCON has 14 Landing Stations providing international connectivity to 11 countries in the fastest growing economic regions.