COLUMBUS II is an optical, repeatered, transatlantic telephone cable. It is approximately 12,102 km (7,520 mi; 6,535 nmi) in length. It entered into commercial service in 1994.[1] The system, along with the Americas cable, was the first to use the Erbium-doped fiber amplifier (EDFA) as its optical amplifier repeaters.[2] In 2009, the transatlantic section was retired, and as of 2023, only the Columbus-II-B section remains in use and has been upgraded. [3]
It is in 3 segments has landing points in:
1. Cancún, Mexico
2. West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
2. West Palm Beach, Florida, United States
3. Magens Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
3. Magens Bay, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
4. Funchal, Madeira, Portugal
5. Sardina, Gran Canaria, Spain
6. Palermo, Sicily, Italy