Honiara (TCSI): The Australian and Solomon Islands’ Governments has announced, the installation of the Coral Sea Cable in the Solomon Islands.

This is according to the Solomon Islands national radio broadcaster, the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC).

The Coral Sea Cable is a 4,700km long fibre optic undersea telecommunications cable linking Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.

The cable will provide faster, affordable and more reliable Internet to the Solomon Islands.

The project also includes a Solomon Islands Domestic Network, a 730km submarine cable that will connect Honiara to the provincial centres of Auki, Noro, and Taro.

Meanwhile, a ceremony will be held on Monday 15 July to mark the commencement of the cable laying process in the Solomon Islands.

Prime Minister, Manasseh Sogavare, members of Government, and Acting Australian High Commissioner, Sally-Anne Vincent toured the cable-laying ship on its arrival in Honiara.

The cable has been manufactured in France and brought to the Pacific in a specially designed cable-laying ship, the Ile de Brehat.

The cable ship Ile de Brehat has begun laying the section of the cable connecting Papua New Guinea and has arrived in Honiara, where it will then commence laying the Coral Sea Cable from Honiara to Sydney.

The ship will return to the Solomon Islands in September to lay the Solomon Islands Domestic Network cable.

The Coral Sea Cable System and the Solomon Islands Domestic Network are on track to be ready for service by December 2019.

Improved Internet connectivity through the cable has the potential to grow the economy, improve government services, and help transform the way Solomon Islanders connect with the rest of the world.