RNAL (cable system)
Encyclopedia
REACH
North Asia Loop (RNAL) is a multi terabit
intra Asia self-healing submarine telecommunications cable system
connecting the principal cities in Asia.
The 10,000 km cable network provides intra regional, city-to-city connectivity between Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, and Taipei. The cable network has been developed jointly by REACH
and FLAG Telecom
. REACH has constructed the eastern leg of the multi-terabit cable that connects
Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, while FLAG has built the western leg connecting Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea.
FLAG manages and operates the system on its own behalf and that of REACH under a developmental agreement. FLAG and REACH each own three of the system’s six fiber pairs. REACH markets its share of the system as REACH North Asia Loop (RNAL).
RNAL has the largest share of cable capacity in Asia with 29%. (second largest share of capacity: C2C with 25%) (1)
It has landing points
in:
Ultimate design capacity for REACH Services.
other ocean hazards that can occur in shallow water. Armored cable protection is also utilised in shallow water areas including the shore ends.
The RNAL is a self-healing loop cable with traffic restoration time of < 1 second in the event of a cable fault. Availability of 99.999% (5 minutes of downtime per year).
Damage to RNAL was reported as affecting internet traffic to China on 18th August 2009.
Reach Global Services
Reach Global Services Ltd. is a subsidiary of Telstra International. Reach, headquartered in Hong Kong, has interests in more than 40 submarine cables and international satellite systems, mainly servicing the Asia Pacific area...
North Asia Loop (RNAL) is a multi terabit
Terabit
The terabit is a multiple of the unit bit for digital information or computer storage. The prefix tera is defined in the International System of Units as a multiplier of 1012 , and therefore...
intra Asia self-healing submarine telecommunications cable system
Submarine communications cable
A submarine communications cable is a cable laid on the sea bed between land-based stations to carry telecommunication signals across stretches of ocean....
connecting the principal cities in Asia.
The 10,000 km cable network provides intra regional, city-to-city connectivity between Hong Kong, Seoul, Tokyo, and Taipei. The cable network has been developed jointly by REACH
Reach Global Services
Reach Global Services Ltd. is a subsidiary of Telstra International. Reach, headquartered in Hong Kong, has interests in more than 40 submarine cables and international satellite systems, mainly servicing the Asia Pacific area...
and FLAG Telecom
Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe
Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe is a 28,000-kilometer-long submarine communications cable containing optical fiber that connects the United Kingdom, Japan, and many places in between. The cable is operated by India's Flag Telecom, a fully owned subsidiary of Reliance Communications. The system...
. REACH has constructed the eastern leg of the multi-terabit cable that connects
Japan, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, while FLAG has built the western leg connecting Japan, Hong Kong, and Korea.
FLAG manages and operates the system on its own behalf and that of REACH under a developmental agreement. FLAG and REACH each own three of the system’s six fiber pairs. REACH markets its share of the system as REACH North Asia Loop (RNAL).
RNAL has the largest share of cable capacity in Asia with 29%. (second largest share of capacity: C2C with 25%) (1)
It has landing points
Cable landing point
A cable landing point is the location where a submarine or other underwater cable makes landfall. The term is most often used for the landfall points of submarine telecommunications cables and submarine power cables. The landing will either be direct or via a branch from a main cable using a...
in:
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, Lantau IslandLantau IslandLantau Island , based on the old local name of Lantau Peak , is the largest island in Hong Kong, located at the mouth of the Pearl River. Administratively, most of Lantau Island is part of the Islands District of Hong Kong...
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, Awa DistrictAwa District, Chibais a district located in Chiba, Japan.As of August 2010, the district had an estimated population of 8,992 and a density of 198 persons per km². Its total area was 45.16 km².-History:...
, Chiba PrefectureChiba Prefectureis a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...
, JapanJapanJapan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... - TouchengToucheng, YilanToucheng is a township in the northern coast of Taiwan. It is administered as a part of Yilan County of the Republic of China . It contains the disputed islands of Diaoyu or Tiaoyutai.* Area: 100.89 km²* Population: 31,517 people...
, Yilan County, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
Technology
RNAL is a high capacity 6 fiber pair redundant loop system, upgradeable using Dense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM). REACH owns 3 fiber pairs. FLAG owns the other 3 fiber pairs.Ultimate design capacity for REACH Services.
| RNAL 1 (Hong Kong – Tokyo) | Initially: 1 x 40G, Design: 3 x 640G. |
|---|---|
| RNAL 2 (Hong Kong – Seoul – Tokyo) | Initially: 1 x 80G. Design: 3 x 400G. |
Service Availability and Configuration
The cable landing shore ends are buried through plough and jetting techniques to minimise the possible impact of fishing, large ship anchors andother ocean hazards that can occur in shallow water. Armored cable protection is also utilised in shallow water areas including the shore ends.
The RNAL is a self-healing loop cable with traffic restoration time of < 1 second in the event of a cable fault. Availability of 99.999% (5 minutes of downtime per year).
Damage to RNAL was reported as affecting internet traffic to China on 18th August 2009.