A fiber optic cable linking Phu Quoc Island to the mainland of Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam has stirred to life, bringing high-speed Internet connection to the islanders and tourists.

The submarine fiber optic cable can transfer data at 20 Gbps in both directions, tenfold the Internet speed through microwave connection users on the island have been using, state-run telecom giant VNPT said Thursday on its website.

The cable system was linked to the island, which is administered by Kien Giang, by VNPT Kien Giang and Vietnam Electricity, the country’s power giant. VNPT Kien Giang is one of the Internet service providers on Phu Quoc Island, which is classified as a district.

Island residents and tourists can now enjoy hi-speed Internet connection and cable TV, as well as better mobile phone network and digital data transmission services, according to VNPT.

“Unstable and disrupted connections will be minimized,” the company said.

The undersea fiber optic Internet cable is laid alongside the submarine 110KV electricity cable system connecting Ham Ninh Commune on the island and Thuan Yen Commune in Ha Tien, which is a town in mainland Kien Giang Province.  

The cable system is 56km long and buried at 0.7 to 1.5 meters below the seabed.

Phu Quoc is the largest island in the Southeast Asian country, measuring 589.23 km² in area, according to the website of the district.

Its population reached 93,000 people in 2010 with a density of 158 people per km², the website says.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has approved a plan to develop Phu Quoc into a special administrative-economic region administered by the central government by 2020, the website adds.

Kien Giang now eyes the arrival of 1-1.2 million visitors to the island in 2015 and 2-3 million tourists in 2020, with gross revenue amounting to US$771 million by then.

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