World's First Trans-Pacific Telephone Cable Recognized as Historic Achievement

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Third IEEE Milestones award for KDDI, the most ever in Japan

No.2014-194

  • KDDI CORPORATION

November 12,2014

The world's first trans-Pacific telephone cable, TPC-1, which was brought into service by KDDI (formerly KDD), AT&T and Hawaiian Telcom in 1964, has been recognized by IEEE Milestones [1,2], a program which honors historic achievements in fields related to electricity, electronics and information [3].

TPC-1, the world's first trans-Pacific cable providing international telephone communication between Japan and the US, was laid between Japan, Guam and Hawaii, a distance of approximately 10,000 km, and brought into service on June 19, 1964. Together with the inauguration of the Tokaido Shinkansen, in the run-up to the Tokyo Olympics which were held in October 1964, TPC-1 was a national project culminating in a commemorative phone call between then Prime Minister Ikeda and US President Johnson.


<Commemorative international call between US President Johnson and Japanese Prime Minister Ikeda>

International calls in 1964 were commonly transmitted on short wave with its attendant problems of long connecting time, high level of noise and static, and inability to mutually support simultaneous conversations. Such problems were solved by TPC-1. TPC-1 technology has been recognized by IEEE Milestones as forming the basis of subsequent submarine optic fiber cable construction technology and contributing significantly to the main communications infrastructure technology of today's internet age. IEEE Milestones awards honor inventions that greatly benefit society, such as Alexander Graham Bell's telephone.

This is the third time KDDI has been recognized by IEEE Milestones, following the trans-Pacific reception of a television signal via satellite (Ibaraki Satellite Communication Center) in November 2009 and the international standardization of G3 facsimile in April 2012, the highest number of awards given to any single individual or organization in Japan.

In preparation for the Tokyo Olympics in 2020, KDDI is working toward commercialization of 8K video resolution in the broadcasting sector, and enhancement and diversification of communications services through development of fifth-generation mobile communications technology aimed at attaining 10Gbps in the communications sector. We aim to create a high-quality communications infrastructure that will enrich customers' lives.

  • [1]
    IEEE (pronounced "Eye-triple-E") is the world's largest organization of electrical and electronic professionals with over 420,000 members in 190 countries around the world. It is based in the U.S.
  • [2]
    IEEE Milestones is an award system established in 1983 to honor inventions and technological developments in the electrical, electronics and information sector that are technically outstanding and at the same time significantly benefit society. To date, over 147 achievements have been recognized around the world. Recognition is granted to achievements selected from inventions and developments that are at least 25 years old and have stood the test of public opinion.
  • [3]
    The present award is for joint achievement by three companies, KDDI, AT&T and Hawaiian Telcom, the joint constructors of TPC-1.

For more details, see the Attachment.
Attachment：World's First Trans-Pacific Telephone Cable Recognized as Historic Achievement

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