Global Caribbean Network (GCN): regional connectivity in the Caribbean
The Global Caribbean Network (GCN) is a submarine cable system designed to enhance telecommunications connectivity across several islands in the Caribbean, as well as linking the region to mainland United States. With a recorded length of 890 km, the cable connects six landing points:
Baillif (Guadeloupe),
Gustavia (Saint Barthélemy),
Jarry (Guadeloupe),
Marigot (Saint Martin),
San Juan (United States), and
St. Croix (Virgin Islands (U.S.)). Owned by the Loret Group, GCN has been in service since 2006, according to GeoCables data.
What makes GCN particularly interesting is the scarcity of publicly disclosed technical details about its design and capacity. Key parameters such as fiber pair count, supplier, and technology remain unknown in public sources, making it difficult to assess its full capabilities or compare it directly with other cables in the region. Additionally, latency measurements from live internet probes reveal significant differences between theoretical propagation times and real-world performance, providing insight into the broader challenges of network routing and equipment.
Quick facts
| Name | Global Caribbean Network (GCN) |
| Length | 890 km |
| Ready-for-service (RFS) year | 2006 (GeoCables database) |
| Owners | Loret Group |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Baillif (Guadeloupe); Gustavia (Saint Barthélemy); Jarry (Guadeloupe); Marigot (Saint Martin); San Juan (United States); St. Croix (Virgin Islands (U.S.)) |
Route
The GCN cable connects six landing points across the Caribbean region and the United States. In Guadeloupe, it lands at Baillif and Jarry, while Saint Barthélemy and Saint Martin are served via Gustavia and Marigot, respectively. The cable also extends to San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix in the Virgin Islands (U.S.). These locations reflect a strategic effort to link smaller island nations and territories with major hubs in the United States, facilitating regional and international telecommunications.
The route passes through areas with significant submarine cable activity. For example, Baillif hosts the
Southern Caribbean Fiber system, and Gustavia connects with both the
Saba, Statia Cable System (SSCS) and Southern Caribbean Fiber. San Juan is a major landing site for multiple systems, including AMX-1,
BRUSA,
CELIA, PCCS, SAm-1, Southern Caribbean Fiber, and
TAM-1. Similarly, St. Croix is a hub for
Americas-II West,
Mid-Atlantic Crossing (MAC),
South American Crossing (SAC), and Southern Caribbean Fiber.
Why it was built and what it carries
GCN was built to improve connectivity between the Caribbean islands and the mainland United States, addressing the region's growing demand for high-speed internet and reliable telecommunications. While specific data on the cable's capacity and usage is not publicly available, it is reasonable to assume that GCN facilitates international voice, data, and internet traffic for both residential and commercial purposes. Its landing points in Guadeloupe, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, and the Virgin Islands suggest a focus on supporting smaller island economies, while the connection to San Juan provides a gateway to the broader U.S. telecom infrastructure.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records indicate that GCN became ready for service in 2006. If industry sources suggest a different RFS year, such discrepancies might be explained by delays in final commissioning, staggered activation of landing points, or differences in documentation standards across operators. However, no conflicting dates have been highlighted in available public sources.
Owned by the Loret Group, GCN reflects the group's investment in regional telecommunications infrastructure. The cable remains operational as of the latest updates, contributing to the Caribbean's connectivity landscape.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available information does not disclose the design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or specific technology used in the GCN system. Without operator documentation, it is impossible to determine whether the cable employs advanced technologies such as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) or coherent optics. Given its 2006 RFS date, it is likely that the cable has undergone upgrades to stay competitive, but this cannot be confirmed without further details.
Latency: the physics
Theoretical calculations for light propagation over GCN's 890 km length yield a one-way latency floor of approximately 4.4 ms, with a round-trip time (RTT) of 8.7 ms. These values assume ideal conditions, such as direct transmission through fiber at speeds of 200,000 to 204,000 km/s. However, real-world latency measurements from live internet probes show much higher RTTs, such as 86.7 ms from Jarry to San Juan and 176.2 ms from Saint Petersburg to Baillif. These discrepancies highlight the impact of land-based routing, terminal equipment, and network congestion on end-to-end latency.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
GCN operates in a region with significant submarine cable density, providing redundancy in case of outages. For example, Baillif is also served by Southern Caribbean Fiber, while Gustavia connects to SSCS and Southern Caribbean Fiber. San Juan and St. Croix are major hubs with multiple alternative systems, including AMX-1, BRUSA, PCCS, and Americas-II West. Repairs to submarine cables typically involve specialized ships equipped with cable recovery and splicing equipment, but the timeline for restoration depends on factors such as fault location, weather conditions, and cable accessibility.
Bottom line
- GCN is a 890 km submarine cable system connecting six landing points across the Caribbean and the United States.
- Its recorded ready-for-service year is 2006, with no conflicting dates identified.
- Owned by the Loret Group, the cable is listed as in service but lacks publicly disclosed details on design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology.
- Theoretical latency is approximately 8.7 ms RTT for the wet segment, but real-world measurements show significantly higher RTTs.
- Alternative cables in the region provide redundancy in case of outages.