DOCOMO PACIFIC ANNOUNCES ATISA SUBMARINE CABLE SYSTEM READY FOR SERVICE

TAMUNING, GUAM— DOCOMO PACIFIC, Inc. announced today that construction and end-to-end testing of the 183-mile ATISA submarine fiber optic cable system connecting Guam to the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) is complete and the system is ready for service.

The ATISA submarine cable (from the Chamorro word atisa meaning, “to illuminate; to accelerate”), which began with the signing of a supply contract in February 2016, was recently brought ashore and connected to the terrestrial fiber networks on Guam, Saipan, Tinian and Rota.  The system will come online with an initial operating capacity of 200 Gigabits per second (Gbps) of bandwidth. As presently designed, the total capacity of the ATISA system is 7.2 Terabits per second (Tbps).

DOCOMO PACIFIC will provide connectivity services to enterprise customers beginning today and is pleased to announce that we are already supplying our first enterprise partner, the Commonwealth Port Authority, which operates the Francisco C. Ada Saipan International Airport, with a new high-speed internet connection.  ATISA also connects the CNMI to Guam, where local businesses and government agencies can connect to other systems, extending the cable’s reach to the global internet.

DOCOMO PACIFIC selected Japan’s NEC Corporation, a global leader in the integration of IT and network technologies, to design and build the cable.

It is our great honor that NEC has played a part of this significant achievement for the CNMI. I am so happy to share this special and exciting moment with our customers. Since NEC is located in the Asia-Pacific region, we can always provide hope that our partnership will be further enhanced, and that we will help develop the CNMI region together, toward deepened mutual understanding and the fulfillment of human potential. 

DOCOMO PACIFIC selected Ciena for its submarine GeoMesh solution, to deliver 100 Gbps wavelengths, and to facilitate new on-demand experiences for users. The Ciena solution can scale to support any communications requirements for the lifetime of the cable.

While businesses and consumers may not always notice or be aware of submarine networks like ATISA, they will quickly see the benefits this important network will bring. With Ciena's high-capacity GeoMesh solution, DOCOMO PACIFIC is making communications for the CNMI region more stable, more agile, and better able to support demand from exciting new services that will transform their way of life. 

Ocean Specialists, Inc. (OSI), a leading submarine fiber optic cable consulting firm, advised DOCOMO PACIFIC on Project ATISA and provided project management support.

The DOCOMO PACIFIC team has worked with unwavering focus to bring the ATISA network into service. OSI is proud to have worked with them from day one across the full spectrum of business case, technical requirements and program management needs. 

We are excited to announce that our ATISA submarine cable system is ready for service. ATISA makes it possible to offer the people of the CNMI the same world-class products and services already available to our customers in Guam. We look forward to working with enterprise partners of all sizes in the CNMI and helping them to serve their customers faster and more effectively. We want to sincerely thank our associates, advisers, and suppliers who have worked tirelessly over the last year and half to make ATISA a reality. We would also like to thank the CNMI government agencies, community partners, and especially the people of Rota, Saipan and Tinian for welcoming this project and helping to bring it to completion. ATISA is a major investment in our families and community, and enables us to create ONE Marianas for everyone. 

ATISA is now the second undersea cable in the CNMI and the first new system in nearly twenty years. DOCOMO PACIFIC invested over $16 million for the cable itself, and an additional $9 million to modernize and expand its fixed and mobile networks in the CNMI.

Starting in August, DOCOMO PACIFIC’s award-winning mobile, cable television, online and home telephone services will become available to residential customers in the CNMI. The consumer launch of ATISA will bring about a total transformation of the communication and entertainment experience for CNMI residents.

ATISA offers expanded entertainment choices, faster Internet speeds and improved mobile coverage in the CNMI at the same prices offered to DOCOMO PACIFIC’s customers in Guam. Visit www.docomopacific.com for a complete list of services and prices.

The CS Responder prepares the marine lay of DOCOMO PACIFIC's ATISA cable system at Tachonga Beach, Tinian on May 18, 2017 (Photo by DOCOMO PACIFIC)

About DOCOMO PACIFIC

DOCOMO PACIFIC is the largest provider of quad-play telecommunications and entertainment services in the Marianas. A wholly owned subsidiary of NTT DOCOMO, Japan’s leading mobile phone operator, DOCOMO PACIFIC provides award-winning services aimed at transforming your television, mobile, online and home telephone experience. These innovative services include the Marianas’ first 100 Mbps online speeds, 4G LTE mobile services, and the new TiVo cable TV platform. DOCOMO PACIFIC is committed to bringing you and your family closer to the things that matter most. Get to know more about what makes us "better together" at www.docomopacific.com.

About NEC Corporation

NEC Corporation is a leader in the integration of IT and network technologies that benefit businesses and people around the world. By providing a combination of products and solutions that cross utilize the company’s experience and global resources, NEC’s advanced technologies meet the complex and ever-changing needs of its customers. NEC brings more than 100 years of expertise in technological innovation to empower people, businesses and society. For more information, visit NEC at http://www.nec.com.

About Ciena

Ciena (NYSE: CIEN) is a network strategy and technology company. We translate best-in-class technology into value through a high-touch, consultative business model – with a relentless drive to create exceptional experiences measured by outcomes. For updates on Ciena, follow us on Twitter @Ciena, LinkedIn, the Ciena Insights blog, or visit www.ciena.com.

About Ocean Specialists, Inc.

Ocean Specialists, Inc. (OSI) is a leading subsea cable consulting and advisory firm for telecommunications network solutions. OSI provides full turnkey network development services for subsea fiber optic networks, ranging from commercial and economic feasibility analysis, to the planning, design, implementation and operation of end-to-end components. OSI has completed over 200 subsea network projects across the telecom, oil and gas, and scientific industries in all regions of the world.  For more information:  www.oceanspecialists.com.