Hawaiian Telecom partners with I.T. International Telecom Marine SRL for Kunoa North inter-island fiber optic cable system
Type: Partnership · Technology: Telecom · Country: United States · Value: $87M · Announced: 2026-03-12
Hawaiian Telcom selected I.T. International Telecom Marine SRL to supply and install the Kunoa North inter-island fiber optic cable system, connecting Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island. The project.
Analysis
The $87 million USD Kunoa North inter-island fiber optic cable system, connecting Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island, benefits from significant public sector backing, with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) acting as a lender. This financial structure enables Hawaiian Telcom, the operator of Hawaii's largest fiber network, to expand its core infrastructure. The project's commercial logic centers on enhancing critical inter-island connectivity, directly improving internet, voice, and TV services for residential and business customers across these three islands. Hawaiian Telcom's selection of Rome, Italy-headquartered I.T. International Telecom Marine SRL as the supplier and installer leverages specialized global expertise in submarine cable systems for this complex build. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration's (NTIA) role as a lender underscores the U.S. government's commitment to telecommunications infrastructure, aligning with its mandate as the President's principal advisor on the sector. For I.T. International Telecom Marine SRL, a Rome, Italy-headquartered global provider, securing this supply and installation contract for the Kunoa North system reinforces its specialization in submarine cable systems, adding a key project in the United States. Hawaiian Telcom, already operating Hawaii's largest fiber network, further entrenches its market dominance by expanding its inter-island fiber optic capabilities, directly benefiting its internet, voice, and TV service offerings to customers across Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island.
Key points
- $87 million USD project value.
- National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), a U.S. government agency, acts as lender.
- I.T. International Telecom Marine SRL, headquartered in Rome, Italy, selected for supply and installation.
- The Kunoa North system will connect Oahu, Maui, and Hawaii Island.
- Hawaiian Telcom operates Hawaii's largest fiber network.