{"id":190802,"date":"2024-01-25T12:33:45","date_gmt":"2024-01-25T22:33:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=190802"},"modified":"2024-01-25T12:33:45","modified_gmt":"2024-01-25T22:33:45","slug":"120m-undersea-cable-expand-high-speed-internet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2024\/01\/25\/120m-undersea-cable-expand-high-speed-internet\/","title":{"rendered":"$120M<\/abbr> undersea cable project will expand high-speed internet statewide"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span><\/a> (UH<\/abbr>) and Ocean Networks, Inc.<\/a> (ONI<\/abbr>) announced a $120 million, public-private partnership to construct a submarine optical fiber cable system that will connect the Hawaiian Islands and improve and expand high-speed broadband internet throughout the state. The project, the Hawaiian Islands Fiber Link (HIFL<\/abbr>), is a key component of Connect Kākou<\/a>, the state’s broadband initiative, a top priority of the Gov. Josh Green administration. Under the direction of Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke, Connect Kākou will ensure that people from all walks of life have reliable and affordable access to high-speed internet.<\/p>\n

“This inter-island cable system will leverage the once-in-a-generation federal investment for technological infrastructure and position our state for long-term economic growth,” said Green. “The resulting network will be open to all carriers and sufficiently robust to support all manner of telecommunications carrier and enterprise traffic, including anticipated future high-capacity demands supporting healthcare, education, research, public service, commerce, and government uses.”<\/p>\n

ONI<\/abbr> is responsible for the supply, construction, operations and maintenance of the inter-island cable system. Partial funding will be provided through a federal grant, and the remaining funds will be secured by ONI<\/abbr> through private equity and secured debt. When it goes online, HIFL<\/abbr> will be able to process a high volume of data with minimal delay and will be the inter-island backbone of Connect Kākou.<\/p>\n

“This is just one part of our plan to guarantee the state\u2019s long-term internet connectivity,” said Luke. “Connect Kākou has over $500 million in federal grants, state funds, and private matching funds available as we work towards connecting the unconnected and make sure everyone has access to reliable, affordable, high-speed internet.”<\/p>\n

HIFL<\/abbr> will be a carrier-neutral, open-access system with landing sites on Oʻahu<\/span>, Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>, Maui, Kauaʻi,<\/span> L\u0101naʻi<\/span> and Molokaʻi<\/span> that will improve Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> inter-island and regional connectivity. The system will have 24 fiber pairs with a design life of 25 years and is expected to be ready for service in late 2026. The project is being overseen by the UH<\/abbr> System Office for Information Technology with support from the Research Corporation of the University of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Ocean Networks, Inc.,” said Garret Yoshimi, UH<\/abbr> Vice President for Information Technology and & CIO<\/abbr>. “The Ocean Networks team has significant industry experience, specifically working here in Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>. It’s an honor for UH<\/abbr> to play an important role in connecting Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> to the future.”<\/p>\n

“We are delighted to collaborate with the UH<\/abbr> and proud that ONI<\/abbr> has been selected to build and operate the new HIFL<\/abbr> submarine cable system,” said Cliff Miyake, Vice President of Business Development of Ocean Networks, Inc. “The HIFL<\/abbr> system will provide critical improvement to the broadband infrastructure for the State of Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The submarine optical fiber cable system will link the main Hawaiian Islands.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1193],"tags":[416,152,872,947],"class_list":["post-190802","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-administrative","tag-information-technology","tag-information-technology-services","tag-research-corporation-of-the-university-of-hawaii","tag-uh-system","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t