The first cable buoy reaching land in Rutaki, Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo: Cook Islands government
Residents of Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands are looking forward to faster cheaper internet this year with the Manatua One Polynesia fibreoptic cable scheduled to come online in May.
In a statement, the Cook Islands government said the cable was finally brought ashore in Rutaki village on Rarotonga this week after earlier attempts were abandoned because of adverse weather conditions from the recent Cyclone Sarai.
The 3600km long submarine cable will connect Rarotonga and Aitutaki in the Cook Islands with Niue, Apia in Samoa and Tahiti and Bora Bora in French Polynesia.
Now that the cable is safely ashore in Rarotonga it will be connected through to the Rarotonga International Cable Landing Station being constructed by Avaroa Cable Ltd at Aroa.
Meanwhile, the cable laying vessel SubCom Reliance will join it back up with the main international cable link that is around 50km off of Rarotonga before continuing with the rest of the cable deployment onwards to French Polynesia where it will finally go live in May.
Cable laying vessel, SubCom Reliance, in position off Rutaki passage, Rarotonga, Cook Islands before commencing the shore landing of the Manatua One Polynesia fibreoptic cable. Photo: Cook Islands government
