The marine survey operations for TAM-1, the flagship project of Trans Americas Fiber System (TAFS), have been successfully completed, marking the end of seven months of operations by EGS Survey and Fugro NV. With route engineering and manufacturing of cable and repeaters well underway, the system is planned to go live in 2025.
The TAM-1 submarine cable system will offer high-speed connectivity, featuring 36 fiber pairs (24 + 12) that will collectively be able to deliver a staggering 650+ Terabits per second of data. This leap in capacity is set to address the escalating demand for data transmission, paving the way for a more connected and digitally empowered region through several key initiatives:
- Providing a solution for national Caribbean carriers and governments grappling with digital economy efforts and increasing bandwidth demands.
- Introducing a diverse and redundant path for North-South traffic, offering a migration and replacement alternative to existing systems along the Pacific and Caribbean coastline of Central America.
- Helping to bridge the digital divide in Latin America and the Caribbean by fostering growth and private investment in the region and attracting further investments.
- Aligning with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and aiming to close the development gap between island nations in the Caribbean and larger OECD economies.
Spanning a length of 7,000 kilometers (4,350 miles), TAM-1 establishes a high-speed route from the US (Florida) to a diverse set of countries including the Northern Caribbean, Central America, and South America.
Mario Montero, the Chief Commercial Officer of Trans Americas Fiber System, emphasized the critical role that submarine cables play in the digital age, serving as the backbone of the internet and facilitating over 98% of global internet traffic through a vast network spanning 1.2 million kilometers. “The need for a new system became evident as the region experienced a remarkable surge in capacity requirements, growing at a staggering rate of over 30% year-on-year. This surge, fueled by shifting trends driven by hyperscalers and content providers, necessitated a transformative solution to bridge the digital gap. Enter TAM-1, a state-of-the-art cable system being constructed by our partners Xtera, Nexans and IT International Telecom.”
Looking ahead, Trans Americas Fiber System plans to further expand its footprint in Phase 2, encompassing the Eastern Caribbean and other previously underserved areas. With its multi-phase plan, the company promises to position the Caribbean at the forefront of the global digital revolution.