Released Date - January 20, 2010 FSM – OPTIC CABLE: FSMIS/ M VARIETY                         PACNEWS BIZ: Wed 20 Jan 2010   FSM looks into fiber optic cable options   20 JANUARY 2010 PALIKIR ( FSMIS/MARIANAS VARIETY) ----- Federated States of Micronesia President Manny Mori held a meeting between members of the executive branch and the FSM Telecom Corp. to discuss the plan for the newly laid submarine fiber optic cable  to Pohnpei and the connectivity issues of hooking up the other states.   Representing FSM Telecom were Takuro Akinaga, general manager, and Freddy Perman, manager of marketing/customer care. Mr Akinaga provided a briefing on the FSMTC board’s decision to approve extra funding to upgrade the existing systems in all four FSM states to provide the infrastructure to allow for high speed internet, a larger capacity, and for cable TV.  This will be done by installing ADSL 2Plus, a new method of providing broadband Internet, which will allow for triple the Internet speeds that the islands currently see.  It can also be able to be delivered over the existing telephone landlines, so it will be available to more customers.   Mr Mori made it clear that all four FSM states should be connected to the high speed cable in order to enable them to have broadband connectivity which will provide social and economic development in each state. Mr Akinaga explained that FSMTC is willing to work with the executive branch to provide necessary information to aid the national government in pursuing funding sources for the connectivity to the other states besides Pohnpei. Mr Mori has created a task force to look in the marketability and cost of connecting the other states to the submarine fiber optic cable, with the Department of Transportation, Communication and Infrastructure taking the lead. The task force will be meeting shortly to look at pursuing grants from potential donors for the connectivity of the other states with assistance of members of the FSMTC staff…..PNS (ENDS)