Verizon Business has joined with China Telecom and China Netcom to build a next-generation fibre optic link between China and the US.

The Trans-Pacific Express will feature over 11,000 miles of cable and boast 60 times the capacity of the existing connection: initially carrying 1.23 Tb/sec (terabits per second) then ramping up to 5.12 Tb/sec over time.

More importantly it is indicative of the increased importance attributed to the Chinese digital economy.

"This state-of-the-art cable ... further recognizes the emergence of China as a diverse communications hub for Asia, and reflects our company’s commitment to help U.S. and other global companies compete worldwide." said Fred Briggs, Verizon Business executive vice president of operations and technology.

Other investors in the $500m project are China Unicom, Korea Telecom and Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan), who share the belief that faster Pacific links will be vital to both sides in the coming years.

The cable will land on the US West Coast at Nedonna Beach, Oregon, and on the China mainland at Qingdao and Chongming, when it is completed around the end of 2008.®