BTL today announced that the groundwork for the expansion of its fiber optic network into the southern part of the country is ready.
Engineers say that they've begun the first phase of the project which includes the digging of trenches and erecting posts for the accommodation of the system. Coming at a cost of some $3 million, the expansion will provide BTL with much needed capacity in the oft-forgotten south. Head of BTL's network services Ernesto Torres explains.
Ernesto Torres, Network Services BTL
“Which will help us to add capacity, much needed capacity, between Belmopan and the rest of the network to the south particularly Dangriga.”
“It was prompted because we are very close to our capacity on our radio back hauling that takes us from Belize City to Dangriga and we need additional capacity to expand the south and provide more cellular coverage and provide more telephone service. So we need more bandwidth and we need more voice circuits to be able to bring all that traffic back to the network.”
“This expansion is extremely important for BTL because what it means is that it opens up the south for expansion in communications. And obviously it is something that was being looked at for quite a while and is now becoming a reality.”
Torres says they project the expansion to be completed by January of next year when over 54 miles of cable would have been put down. Further expansion is projected to begin shortly after the completion of this phase which will see the fiber optic network extended to reach the Toledo district.
7NEWS produced for broadcast by News Director Jules Vasquez
Edited for the internet by Keith Swift