Fujitsu NZ to deliver turnkey project to Samoa Communications

New Zealand, May 08, 2002

Fujitsu New Zealand, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fujitsu Australia, has secured a US$1.1 million plus contract from Samoa Communications Limited to design and build a high quality broadband network linking the islands of Upolu and Savaii.

The network will provide essential backbone capacity to support the current and expected future needs of Samoan communities and villages, with almost no additional investment required as demand increases.

The project uses state-of-the-art IP SDH radio equipment from RadioTel, together with Fujitsu's FLX SDH optical transmission system. Fujitsu signed a distribution partnership with RadioTel last year for the supply of new generation SDH radio products in the Oceania region. This is the second project Fujitsu has secured with combined RadioTel and Fujitsu SDH solutions; a similar, but lower capacity RadioTel network is being installed for the Fiji Electricity Authority.

The initial backbone project establishes a high quality transport network linking the islands of Upolu and Savaii, extending around the north side of Savaii, to the hilltop of Masamasa. It is expected that the link will eventually be extended along the south side of Savaii to Salelologa in order to create a fully protected SDH ring around Savaii.

The first phase of work on Upolu will be on a fibre optic system linking Faleasiu, Apia and Mt Fiamoe, where the traffic to and from Savaii will be collected. This is the start of what will eventually be a ring around the western end of Upolu. On the eastern side of Upolu, the SDH radio backbone will continue from Lufilufi to Afagalu as the first stage towards creating an eastern SDH ring.

Samoa Communications Chief Executive Officer, Mark Yeoman, said: "In linking the two islands of Upolu and Savaii, we needed a reliable and high quality broadband solution. This project will create the backbone on which all future access solutions that provide the voice and data services to customers will be supported."

Fujitsu will take overall responsibility for the turnkey project and has assisted Samoa Communications with much of the network planning and design, including the calculation of radio path characteristics. Samoa Communications staff will participate in the installation and commissioning of the network under the supervision of Fujitsu, which will also provide the necessary training to local staff to maintain and operate the new network.

"This win extends Fujitsu New Zealand's leadership in the Oceania market. Using our regional resources, proven leadership in networking solutions and access to RadioTel's technology, we will supply a cost-effective, highly reliable solution upon which both basic telephony and new technology telecommunications will be offered to Samoan village and business customers alike," said Stan Baker, Fujitsu New Zealand's Telecommunications Manager.

Fujitsu expects to complete deliveries in June 2002, with installation, commissioning and testing taking just over a month to complete.