LONDON and PARIS, Feb. 22 -- Flag Telecom, a provider of international wholesale network transport and communications services, announced it has signed a multimillion dollar turnkey contract with Alcatel for the construction of Falcon, a multiterabit, new-generation DWDM (dense wavelength division multiplexing) submarine cable system. Falcon will provide multiple landings throughout the Gulf region, with submarine links initially stretching to India in the east and to Egypt in the west. Under the terms of the turnkey contract, Alcatel, already a key supplier to Flag Telecom, will manage all areas of the cable build, including installation, commissioning and testing. Falco will span more than 10,000 km and will offer higher-quality capacity in the region to help address the traffic demands from the accelerating use of broadband services. The Falcon network will be built and installed in simultaneous sections using several submarine cable-laying ships. Initial service is expected to begin by the fourth quarter of 2005. Alcatel will supply its next-generation DWDM submarine line terminal. Alcatel’s Optical Multi-Service Node and 1678 Metro Core Connect terrestrial systems will be installed to connect the landing stations. All terrestrial and submarine equipment will be managed by an integrated network management system provided by Alcatel. Survey work of the region has been largely completed, and most of the necessary permits to land the cable or cross-territorial waters have been obtained. Falcon will also incorporate comprehensive protection mechanisms to ensure network reliability; where necessary, it will be double-armoured and plough-buried, Alcatel said. Alcatel’s branching units are being added along the entire Falcon cable route. For more information, visit: www.flagtelecom.com