Mercury Communications has installed a 32 mile long fibre optic link in the UK and claims it to be the longest operational unrepeatered 1300nm single mode 565 Mbps network in the world. The 10 fibre cable runs from Wolverton in Buckinghamshire to Mercury’s Whitehall satellite earthstation centre near Oxford. The link, which expands Mercury’s coverage of the UK, was built using standard production fibres and optical line equipment. Mercury says that it will be able to save money on future routes because fewer repeaters will be needed. The cable is made by GEC’s Telephone Cables Ltd subsidiary, using glass from Optical Fibres Ltd of Deeside.