~Increased capacity, more bandwidth, and better internet packages will soon be on offer again using TelEm Group’s own undersea cable SMPR-1, says CEO, Mr. Kendall Dupersoy.~
PHILIPSBURG--- TelEm Group expects to return to full service of its newly repaired SMPR-1 undersea fiber cable as early as September, bringing with it a host of benefits for customers on St. Maarten.
Vendors and company engineers and technicians are still busy putting the recently repaired cable through a battery of tests since it was officially repaired and returned to the sea bed in Puerto Rico last week.
Once the tests are completed and the cable is given the all-clear, it will be once again put into service, providing a vital telecommunication link between St. Maarten and its hub in Miami via Puerto Rico.
Having its own cable in service will lead to an immediate cost reduction for TelEm Group since the company has had to pay another carrier for capacity in order to maintain its own service after the SMPR-1 cable was damaged close to eight years ago.
One of the first steps the company will be taking will be to migrate that leased capacity to the newly repaired cable, offsetting the cost of leasing.
According to Mr. Dupersoy, once the SMPR-1 cable is once again deployed, the company will be able to provide the increased capacity other carriers on St. Maarten and in Curacao have been requesting, but TelEm Group has not been able to deliver.
“It also means additional capacity and bandwidth for residential and business customers on St Maarten who also want a boost,” said Mr. Dupersoy.
He says gamers and tele-viewers will notice a difference in their online and data experiences with smoother play and less buffering once the undersea cable is activated again.
The TelEm CEO cannot yet say how the overall price of internet service packages might change as a result of the SMPR-1 cable repair until a proper cost-analysis is carried out. He can however state for sure that by operating its own cable once again, it will be very easy to offer customers additional bandwidth to meet their needs.
“Right now, whenever we pay a second carrier for increased capacity, we are forced to charge our customers and clients accordingly to meet our own costs. By having our own capacity, it is easier to offer more attractive bundles and packages,” said the TelEm Group CEO.
Mr. Dupersoy assures that once in place, the SMPR-1 undersea cable will be a key component in the company’s drive to become an Integrated Digital Service Provider for St. Maarten.
Such a transformation of the company will see move involvement in App development locally, increased collaboration with vendors and customers on a global scale, cloud-based services, online marketing, entrepreneurship etc.
“It will truly be a case of the sky being the limit when it comes to offering exciting new opportunities for residential and business clients on St. Maarten,” said Mr. Dupersoy.
He says Smart home applications, web hosting, IPTV, data and cloud-based services and a host of other offerings can all be improved with the enhance throughput that can now be delivered though TelEm Group’s own SMPR-1 undersea cable.
“The company will benefit from a saving on cost while the country, and the general population, will benefit from the increased capacity,” said Mr. Dupersoy.
TelEm Group’s SMPR-1 Cable, pioneered by sister company SMITCOMS INC, went into service in 2009. It is an 8-pair non-repeated submarine telecommunications cable system 375 km long linking St. Maarten to Puerto Rico, with landing points in Philipsburg, Baie Longue beach on the French side, and Isla Verde, Puerto Rico.
The initial capacity on the SMPR-1 is 2.5 Gbits/s per fiber upgradable to 40 Gbits/s.
