LIME on Tuesday announced the historic completion of the installation of the new East-West undersea cable system linking Jamaica, the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic – a further telecommunications advancement for the region.{{more}}

The East-West cable links Jamaica in the west of the Caribbean to the British Virgin Islands (Tortola) in the East, completing the connection in Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. It will triple available bandwidth and reduce interconnection costs in the Dominican Republic – a key market in the region.

Completed in under six months and a week ahead of schedule, the US$35m cable system completes a Caribbean “network ring” that further strengthens LIME’s position as the leading wholesale capacity provider and increases its capability to serve its carrier customers in North and Latin America, as well as within the Caribbean.

The new cable is the third new submarine cable built by LIME in the region since 2008, adding to the CBUS cable between Bermuda and the British Virgin Islands and the Gemini-Bermuda cable between Bermuda and the east coast of the US.

The undersea cable enables LIME to meet the rising demand for high-speed bandwidth from consumers and business customers in the region. LIME operates in 13 Caribbean countries, and is developing a range of new fixed broadband and mobile data services for customers, which will require high quality capacity support.

“LIME’s network is well positioned to benefit from growth in wholesale markets. The Caribbean is a major traffic corridor between South America and the major Internet, content and carrier hubs in the United States – acknowledged as one of the fastest growing inter-continental routes in the world today,” said David Shaw, Chief Executive Officer, LIME.

In hailing the project as a text book undertaking, Shaw said: “The East-West Cable is a valuable addition to our carrier network, increasing the capability and service LIME provides to our carrier customers throughout the Americas and the Caribbean.”

Commenting, Martin Fijman, Managing Director – Carrier Services, said: “Our investment in the East-West Cable attests to the growing demand for capacity in the region. The cable will provide leading-edge broadband capacity and reliable network services to help fulfill that market demand. LIME will keep enhancing its wholesale proposition as we keep leading the provision of capacity, connectivity and carrier services within the region”.