iWorld
Facebook-Google building 120-Tbps submarine cable to Asia by mid ’18
MUMBAI: Two internet majors Facebook and Google have come together with Pacific Light Data Communications to build the first direct submarine cable system between Los Angeles (U.S.) and Hong Kong in efforts to speed up connections in Asia’s most happening business centre.
The Pacific Light Cable Network (PLCN) will have 12,800km of fibre and an estimated cable capacity of 120 Tbps, making it the highest-capacity trans-Pacific route, a record held at present by Faster. another Google-backed cable system. PLCN will then provide enough capacity for Hong Kong to have 80 million concurrent HD video conference calls with Los Angeles.
Google Networking Infrastructure director, Brian Quigley said Google’s mission was to connect people to the information by providing fast and reliable infrastructure, India TV reported. From data centres to cables under the sea, Google was dedicated to building infrastructure that reaches more people than ever before.
Scheduled for commercial launch in summer of 2018, PLCN will include TE SubCom’s C+L technology, a major step forward in available cable transmission capacity that effectively doubles the available bandwidth and capacity per fiber pair over a traditional C-band-only designed system. Once completed, PLCN will be the highest-capacity transpacific route.
“PLCN will be among the lowest-latency fiber optic routes between Hong Kong and the U.S. and the first to connect directly using ultra-high-capacity transmission,” said PLDC. chairman Wei Junkang.
“It is certainly gratifying that global technology companies like Google and Facebook have become co-investors in PLCN. It is a strong signal that PLCN will be trusted to address the capacity needs for internet and international communications services throughout the Pacific Rim. We envision this deployment as the initial step in PLDC’s construction of a global network.”
“PLCN will showcase the ultra-high-capacity designs and industry-leading wet plant technologies that have enabled TE SubCom to become the manufacturing partner of choice for the world’s most advanced undersea networks,” said Aaron Stucki, president of TE SubCom.
Pacific Light Data Communication is set to become a leading regional broadband communications service provider that will build and operate the first subsea cable directly connecting Hong Kong and the US.
TE SubCom, as a vertically integrated supplier, SubCom designs, manufactures, deploys, and maintains the industry’s most reliable fiber optic cable systems. Its solutions include long-haul and regional systems, repeaterless networks, capacity upgrades, offshore oil and gas, and scientific research applications. TE Connectivity is a $12 billion global technology leader whose connectivity and sensor solutions are essential in today’s increasingly connected world.
iWorld
Tata Play Binge adds Pocket Films to micro drama platform Shots
Over 210 micro dramas and 220 hours of content strengthen short form play
MUMBAI: Short stories are getting shorter and sharper. Tata Play Binge is doubling down on snackable storytelling, adding Pocket Films to its micro-drama hub Shots as it looks to capture India’s fast-growing appetite for quick-consumption content. The move expands Shots into a deeper, more diverse catalogue, now featuring over 210 micro-dramas and 220 hours of short-format programming across genres such as action, drama and thriller. The content spans Hindi and key regional languages, reflecting the increasingly local yet mobile-first nature of viewing habits.
Pocket Films brings with it a library of emotionally driven, culturally rooted narratives, including micro-dramas like Chaturanga, Vidushi, Maasa, Silent Cycle and Pilibhit, alongside short films such as Lock-up, Dubki and The Disguise. The addition builds on existing partnerships with Bullet and Stage, strengthening Shots as a one-stop destination for bite-sized storytelling.
Designed for vertical viewing, the platform leans into scroll-friendly interfaces, auto-play sequencing and seamless discovery mirroring the habits of always-on, digital-first audiences. The content remains ad-supported and is available within the Tata Play Binge app at no additional cost.
The integration also sits within a broader aggregation strategy. Tata Play Binge currently offers access to 30 plus OTT services including Prime Video, JioHotstar, Zee5 and Apple TV+ through a single subscription and interface, aiming to simplify fragmented streaming consumption.
As platforms race to keep up with shrinking attention spans, Tata Play Binge’s bet is straightforward: when stories get shorter, the catalogue needs to get bigger and faster.
