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2002

THUS plc, the UK's only major telecommunications operator headquartered in Scotland, has today announced a landmark contract for Scotland.

As a result of an agreement between THUS and FARICE HF, a consortium of Icelandic and Faroese operators and the Government of Iceland, Scotland is the chosen landing point for a proposed new international sub-sea cable. This will be the first sub-sea cable landed in Scotland since 1962 and THUS will provide the telecommunications network from the landing point to Edinburgh. The contract award is a major vote of confidence in THUS and its Scottish telecommunications infrastructure.

FARICE initiated talks with telecommunications operators to provide an alternative to the existing cable that reaches from Canada via Iceland and the Faroe Islands to continental Europe. Earlier this year that cable was severed and the Island nations were cut off from the outside world for nine hours.

It is intended that the high capacity fibre optic links to be provided by THUS will be the link in a chain to create an alternative multi-gigabit route for traffic between the United States and continental Europe with Scotland at the hub.

Throstur Sigurdsson, FARICE Chief Executive, said, "THUS was able to give us the assurance that they can provide the capacity we require but most importantly, THUS demonstrated a history of, and commitment to, the highest quality of service provision. We are looking forward to working with THUS to maximise the opportunities this link provides."

Bill Allan, THUS Chief Executive added, "We are delighted to be working with FARICE on what is an historic project for Scotland. Scotland has been losing ground in the provision of international telecommunications services over the past decade but this agreement helps to restore our country's position at the heart of north Atlantic telecommunications"