Hawaiki Cable Contract for Cable System Has Come into Force

Hawaiki Cable Annnounces Contract for Cable System Has Come into Force And Construction Commences

Confirmation Heralds New Era for New Zealand connectivity. The new trans-Pacific cable system will be the fastest link between Australia and the US

AUCKLAND, New Zealand and EATONTOWN, N.J., March 31, 2016 - Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP and TE SubCom, a TE Connectivity Ltd. company and an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology, are pleased to announce that the contract for the Hawaiki submarine cable system has come into force and the construction phase has commenced.

The Hawaiki submarine cable system is a new trans-Pacific cable, which will link Australia and New Zealand to mainland United States, as well as Hawaii, with options to expand to several South Pacific islands. Permitting and initial route planning began in June 2015 and the system will be completed by mid-2018.

The 14,000 km cable system will deliver more than 30 Tbps of capacity via TE SubCom’s C100U+ Submarine Line Terminating Equipment (SLTE) and will allow for optional connectivity to islands along the route utilizing TE SubCom’s industry leading optical add/drop multiplexing (OADM) nodes.

Sir Eion Edgar and Remi Galasso, the co-developers of the project, have entered into a longterm partnership and joined forces with entrepreneur Malcolm Dick, to fund and operate the multi-million dollar cable system. Hawaiki will be a privately-owned and carrier-neutral cable for the Pacific region.

“This is a fantastic achievement for the team. We are delighted to move to the implementation phase and pursue our collaboration with TE SubCom,” said Galasso, chief executive officer of Hawaiki. “They have demonstrated a full commitment to the project since the early stages of development and are a true partner of Hawaiki.”

Sir Eion added, “This is the beginning of a new era for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands in terms of international connectivity. We are excited to be at the forefront of this very significant infrastructure investment.”

"The lack of an alternative cable system connecting Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. has long been a concern of mine, so I am delighted to be part of this project,” said Dick. “Having built telco businesses in both Australia and New Zealand in the past, I am very aware of the need to provide competition by being independent of the incumbent operators. This increased level of competition and capacity should make data caps a thing of the past.”

“The Hawaiki cable system will enhance international capacity for New Zealand and Australia directly to the U.S., providing them with a vital communication advancement that the region has been in need of for quite some time,” said Aaron Stucki, president of TE SubCom. “We are honored to play a key role in a project that will undoubtedly help support the economic development in the region thanks to this state-of-the art infrastructure.”

Thanks to its cutting edge architecture, Hawaiki will be the fastest link between Sydney and the U.S. West coast and provide Australia, the largest capacity market in the South Pacific region, with a powerful solution. It will also provide New Zealand with direct connectivity to Australia and the U.S., providing an alternative route between Hawaii and Oregon. This route also allows for a diverse and secure route from existing systems.

About Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP
Hawaiki Submarine Cable LP, headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand, is the owner and developer of the Hawaiki submarine cable system (Hawaiki). Hawaiki is a carrier-neutral submarine cable linking Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Oregon, on the US West coast. For more information, visit www.hawaikicable.co.nz.

About TE SubCom
TE SubCom (SubCom), a TE Connectivity Ltd. company, is an industry pioneer in undersea communications technology and marine services, and a leading global supplier for today’s undersea communications requirements. As a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry’s most reliable fiber optic cable systems. Its solutions include long-haul and regional systems, repeaterless networks, capacity upgrades, offshore oil and gas, and scientific research applications. SubCom brings end-to-end network knowledge and global experience to support on-time delivery and the needs of customers worldwide. To date, the company has deployed more than 100 cable systems and enough subsea communication cable to circle the Earth 15 times at the equator. For more information, visit www.SubCom.com.

About TE Connectivity
TE Connectivity (NYSE: TEL) is a $12 billion global technology leader. Our connectivity and sensor solutions are essential in today’s increasingly connected world. We collaborate with engineers to transform their concepts into creations – redefining what’s possible using intelligent, efficient and high-performing TE products and solutions proven in harsh environments. Our 72,000 people, including over 7,000 engineers, partner with customers in close to 150 countries across a wide range of industries. We believe EVERY CONNECTION COUNTS – www.TE.com.

ENDS

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