Arctic Melt Provides New Business Ventures
The rapid melting of the northern Arctic over recent years has been a delicate subject, particularly regarding species that rely on its frozen climate for survival. Yet, global communications may benefit greatly from an opportunity that has emerged from this transformation. Though funding for the project known as ArcticLink has telecommunications companies walking on thin ice, the development was unimaginable until now.
The idea of the project is to lay underwater fiber optic cable between Tokyo and London via the Northwest Passage. According to Kodiak-Kenai Cable (KKC) and CEO Walt Ebell, this is the shortest distance between the two cities, and the connection is ideal for speedier transmission, reducing transmission time from the UK to Asia in half.
The cable would cover roughly 10,00 miles, running from Tokyo, across the shallow waters of the Bering Sea to Alaska, through the Northwest Passage, past Greenland, and into London.
Most of the project relies on private funding, however KKC has requested a significant portion of federal stimulus money that has been allocated for the broadband grant and loan program, suggesting additional lines set up to provide the foundation for high-speed broadband for over 100 Alaskan towns currently relying on satellite internet. KKC says the project will continue to move forward, whether or not the stimulus is granted.
Of course, customers and financing are the biggest concerns for KKC, a subsidiary of Khanjee Holdings, Inc. The two recently created a company called Arctic Cable Co. to take care of all aspects of the project, including the finance, design, and construction of the cable. There is a reported estimate of 100 individuals already working on the early stages of the project, which could begin as early as next year, and be finished by 2013 if all goes as planned.
Walt Ebell, KKC, and other project affiliates presented further details regarding the project at the Pacific Telecommunications Council conference in Hawaii.