Docomo Pacific begins marine lay for ATISA cable

Docomo Pacific announced last Thursday the start of the marine lay for its ATISA submarine fiber-optic cable system.

On May 11, Docomo Pacific hosted a landing ceremony for ATISA at Aquarius Beach on Saipan. Members of Docomo Pacific’s leadership team were joined by island dignitaries and business leaders for the event. Similar landing ceremonies will take place on Tinian and Rota later this month. Following the marine lay, the Docomo Pacific team will conduct end-to-end testing of the cable system before ATISA is ready for full service in the Marianas by August.

The marine lay began in Guam on May 6 following the arrival of the CS Responder, the vessel that will perform the physical cable installation between Guam and the CNMI. Guests and island media were given the opportunity to tour the vessel and learn about the marine lay process from project managers.

With ATISA, the services Docomo Pacific provides to customers in Guam will become available to the entire CNMI. This means the people of the Marianas can look forward to internet speeds up to 100 mbps and mobile 4G services. “Along with reliability, our mobile network will provide extensive coverage allowing you to have a great experience where you live, work, and play. These upgrades will allow consumers to stream, download and upload faster than ever before,” a company statement said.

Docomo Pacific will make available the television entertainment system TiVo, the option of over 200 cable TV channels, fixed line telephone, and an array of enterprise solutions.

Dino Manning, Docomo Pacific CNMI general manager said: The cable landings in Guam and the CNMI are a major step toward the launch of ATISA. We are ready to raise the level of communication and improve the entertainment experience in the CNMI. ATISA is more than just a commercial venture, but will offer choice to the people of the Marianas and a range of new, innovative services in mobile, TV, online, and digital phone.  

In 2016, Docomo Pacific inked an agreement with NEC Corp. and the governments of the CNMI and Guam to bring this project to life. NEC is contracted to build ATISA.

Hiroshi Kawakami, NEC Corp. project manager, said: “NEC has a long history of supplying submarine cable systems in the region and we are proud to share this milestone with Docomo Pacific today. As the cable laying work begins, we look forward to seeing the transformation of communications connectivity between Guam and the CNMI.”

Ocean Specialists Inc., a leading subsea cable consulting firm, is advising Docomo Pacific on the ATISA project and providing project management support.

Tony Mosley, director of Ocean Specialists Inc. in the Asia Pacific, said: OSI has appreciated the focus and drive with which the Docomo Pacific team has led the project. We are certain the network will bring significant benefits to the Marianas.” (Saipan Tribune)