France Telecom to Build US Fiber Network

PARIS, Sept. 28 -- France Telecom will spend $200 million to build a 1.6-Tb/s, 15,000-mile fiber optic network linking 28 major cities in North America to its pan-European backbone network via submarine cables. The network will serve the needs of the company's entire operations as well as bolster Internet traffic between the US and Europe, said France Telecom.
France Telecom's US subsidiary, Global One Inc. based in Ann Arbor, Mich., will use this transmission backbone network strengthen global data and voice services to multinational customers. France Telecom is currently negotiating with Level 3 Communications Inc. to obtain a dark fiber network. Alcatel will supply France Telecom with dense wavelength division multiplexing equipment, and Nortel Networks Corp. will supply SONET equipment.