Main One

Infobox Submarine communications cable
cable_name = Main One
owners = Main Street Technologies
logo=
landing_points = Portugal, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa

1.	flagicon|Portugal Seixal, Portugal
2.	flagicon|Nigeria Lagos, Nigeria
3.	flagicon|Ghana Accra, Ghana
4.	flagicon|South Africa South Africa

technology = Fiber optics
design_capacity = 1280 Gb/s
current_capacity = n/a
length = 14,000 km
topology = trunk and branch
first_use_date = May 2010
decomissioning_date=IN SERVICEThe Main One Cable is an undersea cable system expected to stretch from Portugal to South Africa with landings along the route in various west African countries.On April 28, 2008, it was announced that Main Street Technologies has awarded a turnkey supply contract for the Main One Cable System to Tyco Telecommunications.The cable system is expected to span 14,000 km and provide additional capacity for international and Internet connectivity to countries between Portugal and South Africa on the west coast of Africa.The submarine cable project is designed in two phases, both of which are scheduled for completion in May 2010. The dual fiber pair, 1.28-Tbit/sec, DWDM project will connect Nigeria, Ghana, and Portugal in Phase 1 with onward connectivity through Portugal to Europe, Asia and the Americas. The Phase 1 cable system will span 6,900 kilometres. Additional connectivity extending to Angola and South Africa will occur in the second phase of the project.Main One will provide international capacity into a region that has experienced explosive growth in tele-density in recent years, but which remains constrained with respect to access to international cable capacity for global connectivity.The system is being developed by Main Street Technologies headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria.An October 10, 2008 press release states that the desk top study and engineering for the system has been completed.

Path

The Main One Cable is an undersea cable system expected to stretch from Portugal to South Africa with landings along the route in various west African countries.

Impact

Main One will provide international capacity into a region that has experienced explosive growth in tele-density in recent years, but which remains constrained with respect to access to international cable capacity for global connectivity.

The Main One Cable system will provide open access to regional telecom operators and Internet service providers at rates that are less than 20% of current international bandwidth prices in the region available via SAT3 or satellite service providers, according to the project's organizers. Main Street says it will encourage local content development via skills transfer of critical networking technologies and job creation with the location of the network operational center (NOC) for the entire system in Nigeria. [http://www.mainonecable.com/]

Ownership

The cable will be privately owned by Main Street Technologies.

Progress

On April 28, 2008, it was announced that Main Street Technologies has awarded a turnkey supply contract for the Main One Cable System to Tyco Telecommunications. [http://lw.pennnet.com/display_article/327046/13/ARCHI/none/NNEWS/1/Tyco-awarded-Main-One-cable-contract/] An October 10, 2008 press release states that the desk top study and engineering for the system has been completed. [http://lw.pennnet.com/display_article/342314/13/ARTCL/none/none/1/Main-One-Cable-System-progressing-on-schedule/]

ee also

*SAT-2
*SAT-3/WASC
*SAFE
*List of international submarine communications cables

Sources

* [http://www.mainonecable.com/ "Main One Web Site"]
* [http://lw.pennnet.com/display_article/327046/13/ARCHI/none/NNEWS/1/Tyco-awarded-Main-One-cable-contract/ "Press Release, Tyco awarded Main One cable contract, April 28, 2008"]
* [http://lw.pennnet.com/display_article/342314/13/ARTCL/none/none/1/Main-One-Cable-System-progressing-on-schedule/ "Press Release, Main One Cable System progressing on schedule, October 10, 2008"]
* [http://kingsgate-inc.com/Company.cfm?todisp=news&id=40 "Main One - Work begins on N5.4b sub-marine optical fibre cable Saturday, February 09, 2008"]
* [http://www.nigerianmuse.com/20080808094019zg/projects/TelecomProject/competition-rocks-bandwidth-costs-via-gateways-submarine-cable "Nigerian Muse, Competition rocks bandwidth costs via gateways, submarine cable"]