Friday Bytes: Internexa, Padtec, GlobeNet, CenturyLink, Verizon

Here are four Friday quick-takes: three involving Latin American infrastructure, and one being a government contract:

Telefonica got some company for its planned BRUSA cable connecting North and South America. The Latin American telecommunications operator Internexa has signed on to use the new submarine cable as part of its infrastructure when it comes online in two years. We don’t hear much from Internexa up here in the US, but they’re one of the key infrastructure providers in South America, and especially in Colombia along the Pacific coast.

The Brazilian vendor Padtec picked up a high profile customer this week. None other than Google has selected the company to manage and execute the deployment of a submarine cable between Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro. The ‘Junior’ cable will stretch some 390km and connect up to other Google infrastructure. Padtec’s optical gear will power the 8-fiber-pair system of course.

Brazilian-based GlobeNet has launched a new virtualization service spanning its network reach. The new service enables network expansion and enhancement for customers via virtual routers in key PoPs of both continents. With all the new cables being planned in their backyard, GlobeNet seems to be looking at raising its game on the service side to stay ahead of the game.

And back in the US, both CenturyLink and Verizon got some good news in Virginia. The state government has awarded both companies spots as vendors for the new VITAnet network services contract. It’s a 5 year vehicle with a 5 year renewal option with a total potential value of $150M. But of course that’s a theoretical number, the real contracts will come from state agencies that will use the services to upgrade their capabilities.

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Categories: Federal contracts · Telecom Equipment · Undersea cables