From the
Online Weekend Edition:
UPLINK INTERNATIONAL TO COMPLETE STALLED MARINE FIBEROPTIC NETWORK
SAN JOSE — In a move analysts believe marks a critical and risky juncture for the world’s leading telecommunications super carrier, UpLink International announced earlier this week that it has concluded a long- rumored deal with Planetaire Systems Corp to pick up some very large pieces left by the France-based company’s financial tumble.
Once UpLink’s primary European rival, Planetaire has been the most recent telecom industry player forced to make sharp operational cutbacks during a period of global economic uncertainty that has seen many established technology firms struggle and fail. While many in the financial sector expect industrywide earnings to improve at least marginally over the next quarter, Planetaire’s losses have been deeper than some due to a combination of heavy capital borrowing — said to have exceeded $1.5 billion U.S. — for its construction of a submerged fiberoptic cable ring in the waters around Africa and steep declines in revenue from its cellular telephony service elements.
Although the specific terms of the pact have not been disclosed, insiders report that UpLink has acquired all of Planetaire’s existing “wet highway” and terrestrial fiber network equipment and facilities in equatorial African nations, considered some of the most underserved markets on earth, in part due to the region’s continuing political and economic instability. Speaking on CNN’s
“Planetaire has enjoyed tremendous past success, and I’d be pleased if our agreement allows it to consolidate and direct its assets toward a bright future,” she said. “Our companies have been very competitive, but at the same time worldwide connectivity is a goal we’ve always shared, and UpLink is wholly committed to building upon Planetaire’s established infrastructure on the African continent.”
Ms. Breen emphasizes that commitment is long term, extending into the next decade and beyond. “It’s really a logical outreach for us,” she said. “Our driving corporate philosophy, and the core belief of our founder Roger Gordian, is that the introduction of modern, reliable Internet and telecom services to developing countries parallels the emergence of America’s rail and telegraph system over a hundred years ago and can bring about comparable industrial, political, and social progress.”
But some have suggested that Gordian and company will have to navigate rough waters in a period of rapid financial sea changes — and beware of sinking beneath those shifting currents. The expansion mentioned by Ms. Breen would put considerable strains on the resources of any firm, even one as globally dominant as UpLink. Much of Planetaire’s African network is already connected to Europe via seabed fiber cable and there is speculation that UpLink plans to thread a transoceanic line to the Pacific Rim. This ambitious effort would require retrofitting decades-old portions of the system with high-capacity, next-generation equipment and undersea cable — a high- priced undertaking.
Marine maintenance also can be expensive. Less than a year ago Planetaire incurred multimillion dollar repair costs when a segment of cable was damaged off coastal Gabon, the small equatorial nation where its African network hub is located. Two specialist deepwater divers were accidentally killed while investigating the service disruption. Although the tragic incident is presumed to have no bearing on Planetaire’s regional pullout, it does point toward the complexity of initiating cable projects in inhospitable and sometimes dangerous environments…
“What’s wrong?” Pete Nimec said.
“Hmm?” Annie Caulfield said.
“I’m wondering what’s the matter.”
“Nothing’s the matter.”
Nimec was otherwise convinced.
“Come on,” he said, shaking his head. “Something is definitely the matter.”
Annie looked over at him. Nimec looked back at her. She was holding the ladle. He had the spatula.
“What makes you think that?” Annie said, a trifle distantly.
“This right here makes me think it.” Nimec raised the spatula and wobbled it in the air between them. It was a proffer of evidence, his smoking gun, courtroom exhibits A through Z rolled into one.
Still looking somewhat preoccupied, Annie regarded him without comment as a bright, warm, daisy yellow torrent of east Texas sunshine washed through the window of her kitchen, where they were at the electric range fixing breakfast, Annie with her blond hair spilling mussily over the collar of her bathrobe, Nimec already dressed in Levi’s and a T-shirt, Annie’s kids in their pajamas at the opposite end of the house, just stirring under their bedcovers, this being Sunday morning after all.
“You’d better flip that thing,” Annie said finally. She nodded toward the sizzling dollop of pancake batter she’d ladled onto the hot skillet in front of him.
“You sure?”
“Unless, of course, you have some reason for wanting to serve Chris and Linda burned pancakes—”
“Ah-hah. Got you. There it is,” he said.
“There
“More proof that you’re upset with me.” Nimec gave the implement in his hand another little shake. “I’m using a metal spatula right here. And the skillet’s your expensive nonstick. Means I’m supposed to use a Teflon- coated spatula or screw up the finish, right?”
Annie looked at the blade of the spatula with surprised recognition.
“Yes,” she said. “It does.”
“Ah-hah,” Nimec repeated, and gave her a look that meant his case was closed, open and shut.
He reached past Annie, slipped the spatula into a wall-holder jammed with cooking utensils, pulled a coated spatula from it, and immediately turned the pancake onto its unbrowned side.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “If you know you aren’t supposed to use my metal one—”
“It was a test,” he said before she could finish her question.
“A
“Right,” he said. “I grabbed it to see if you’d notice, and then remind me which spatula I
“Oh,” she said.
“But you didn’t,” he said. “Notice or remind me, that is.”
“No, I didn’t…”
“And you always do,” Nimec said. “From the very first time I stayed over. Except once when we had a fight, and you got quiet like you’ve been all morning.”
Annie watched him transfer the finished pancake to a serving tray and then motion for another ladleful of batter. She dipped into the mixing bowl and poured some onto the pan.
“Okay, that’s plenty, or the middle won’t get done,” he said. “Now how about you tell me why you’re mad.”
“I’m not—”
“You are—”
Annie’s sharp look abruptly silenced him.
“That was you and not a Pete Nimec look alike in my bed when I awoke, oh, forty minutes, an hour ago, wasn’t it?” she said.
“What’s that got to do—?”
“Did the actions I initiated at the time
Nimec felt an embarrassed flush in his cheeks. “Well, no…”
