Azorean Government urges Ministry of Infrastructures to set up working group to study replacement of inter-island submarine cables - Communication

Vice-Presidência do Governo Regional

In a letter addressed to the Minister for Infrastructures and Housing, Miguel Pinto Luz, the Vice-President of the Regional Government, Artur Lima, requested the urgent creation of a working group to analyse the most appropriate technical solution for the rapid replacement of inter-island submarine cables, similar to the one created for the CAM ring replacement process. 

"This is a priority matter for the Azorean Government in terms of communications and very important for taking regional development to new heights," said Artur Lima.

In his letter, Artur Lima highlights the "obsolescence of the inter-island fibre-optic submarine cable ring, the infrastructure responsible for connecting the islands of Santa Maria, Terceira, Faial, Pico, São Jorge and Graciosa to the islands of Corvo and Flores and the island of São Miguel and, as such, responsible for the digital connectivity of these eight islands to Mainland Portugal and the rest of the world." He also mentioned "some shortcomings that make us fear for the continuity and quality of the important digital connectivity service it supports" as reasons that justify the rapid progress of this process.

The Vice-President of the Government stated that it is up to the National Government to comply with its "constitutionally established powers to promote the economic and social cohesion of the entire national territory as well as the mitigation of inequalities deriving from the remoteness of the autonomous regions."

In the letter sent to the minister, it is suggested that ANACOM should chair the working group and include representatives from the Ministry for Infrastructures, the Regional Government and IP-Telecom for a period no longer than six months. 

Artur Lima also defends that, in terms of targets, this working group should propose a solution that ensures state-of-the-art connectivity and defines a schedule for the renovation of the cable system with an estimate of costs. It should also consider the use of this system to support traffic associated with scientific projects.