The Japanese Ministry of Posts & Telecommunications has finally come up with an explanation of why it is so opposed to Cable & Wireless Plc’s proposals for the second international telecommunications contract in Japan – and it harks back to to cosy days of telecommunications cartels still beloved of the more backward PTTs, notably West Germany’s Bundespost. The Ministry fears that the new regime in prospect if Cable & Wireless is able to set up its Global Digital Highway will unbalance the existing world telecommunications order. Cable & Wireless already has large parts of its pan-American fibre optic cable network in place, and is certain to go ahead with the transatlantic cable, while the pan-Pacific cable is only awaiting US approval which is regarded as a formality. The situation is therefore that much of the Global Digital Highway will be constructed regardless of whether the Japanese permit it a terminating point in Japan or not.
