The MEA formed e-llan Communications Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of the MEA, following approval by Council of Ministers last year.

"This is a major milestone for the MEA; following two years of extremely hard work by the team the benefits of the asset can now be realised," Teare explained, continuing: "With the ever-increasing demands in e-business, the Authority is pleased to provide a facility which will add to the Island’s telecommunications infrastructure and further stimulate the market.”

Teare went on to reveal that e-llan Communications will offer a ‘wholesale’ data transmission service by offering a service to telecoms customers requiring large amounts of bandwidth to and from the UK. This service, he explained, will support local telecoms businesses in offering attractive prices relative to their competitors in other jurisdictions, and it is envisaged that this will help attract investment and thus support economic growth.

“The Council of Ministers carefully considered this matter before authorising the MEA to proceed. Strategic analysis, including the report ‘Creating the Can-Do Economy’, April 2005, highlighted that the e-business sector will be crucial to the Island’s future economic success," noted Minister for Trade and Industry Hon David Cretney MHK, adding: "The sector is dependent upon fast, effective, and competitively priced data transmission services to and from the UK. It is believed that enhancing the Island’s existing telecommunications infrastructure can help make it an even more attractive international centre for e-business. Lighting the MEA’s fibres will bring more capacity and choice to a fast growing market.”

According to Cretney, the Council of Ministers considered a range of options, including having a private company operate the cable. But the Council was satisfied that the MEA had the necessary technical expertise to provide a wholesale telecoms service.

“I have been impressed by the speed with which the MEA has acted since Council authorised them to proceed this summer," Cretney stated.

"I look forward to e-llan Communications helping to generate both new business investment and benefits for existing businesses in 2008 and beyond," he concluded.