HAMILTON, Bermuda, June 22 -- Global Crossing Ltd. has completed construction of its high-speed, fiber optic network linking 27 countries in Europe, the Americas and Asia. The company completed the network by connecting the final link between Lima, Peru and its South American Crossing network, which is already in operation in major markets, including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Venezuela and Panama.
    Total construction costs for the core network and extensions are about $7.5 billion, Global Crossing said. The company completed its network construction on schedule, and on budget, at a time when many service providers have had to scale back their network plans due to lack of funding.
    Beyond its core network, Global Crossing is currently building a previously announced Asian extension that will connect Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines to the global network. This extension, which is already fully funded, will be completed in the first quarter of next year.