Pacific Caribbean Cable System (PCCS)

Overview

The Pacific Caribbean Cable System (PCCS) is an intercontinental submarine cable system with a total length of 6163 km, connecting various points across the Caribbean and the United States. The PCCS was ready for service in 2015, though its exact end-of-service date or current status remains unknown.

Route and Landings

The cable system has nine landing points distributed across several countries:

• Hudishibana, Aruba
• Aruba, Aruba
• Cartagena, Colombia, Colombia
• Mahuma, Curaçao, Curaçao
• Manta, Ecuador, Ecuador
• Balboa, Panama, Panama
• Maria Chiquita, Panama, Panama
• Jacksonville, FL, United States
• San Juan, PR, United States
• Tortola, Virgin Islands (U.K.), Virgin Islands (U.K.)

Ownership and Operators

The PCCS is owned by a consortium consisting of Liberty Networks, Setar, Telconet, Telxius, and United Telecommunication Services (UTS).

Status and Timeline

The cable system was ready for service in 2015. The exact end-of-service date or current status is unknown.

Strategic Context

The PCCS connects Aruba, Colombia, Curaçao, Ecuador, Panama, the United States (Florida and Puerto Rico), and the Virgin Islands (U.K.). This cable system facilitates communication between these countries in the Caribbean region and the United States. The corridor generally serves to enhance connectivity and support economic activities among these nations.

Aruba is a small island nation that has been an important hub for telecommunications in the Caribbean, serving as a gateway for international traffic. Curaçao, another key player in the Caribbean, hosts several data centers and serves as a major landing point for submarine cables. Ecuador, while smaller, is part of the broader Latin American telecommunications landscape.