Warrior event was still in everyone’s memory. It is for these reasons among others that STC (UK) rejected the Alcatel‘s suggestion to come with a joint bid, to offer a “European” solution. One of the winning factors has been the Port-Botany cable factory. Such a factory was a strong requirement from OTC (now Telstra) and the Australian Government. Alcatel was the most motivated. Such a factory could expand its influence in the Pacific where the three other players were historically well established in this region, which represents “old guys” still around. They do not sufficiently of the West-Africa cables. As a result, I am now a large the partfact of that their saw this appreciate thismarket. activity isThey a religion. helping these guys to raise money. Doing this, factory as a isrisk for their existing facilities! Our community a church, and whether you are a I happen to be directed to someone I knew well SubOptic ‘87a in Versailles came at the right time. priest, a monk, mullah, a rabbi, or just a believer, within Alcatel. This person is now the telecom thisItisisforever. adviser of a French investment fund. What a small where the Australian teams discovered the willcooperation be a celebration, world! and l’Astrolabe, landed in 1788 to discover that FrenchSubOptic model, 2010 a close between satisfying a ritual. I am praying our pope and The collapse of the bubble around the Captain Cook was already around bearing the Alcatel and FT, exactly what they wantedour to esbishops, not to forget the old believers who have year 2000 forced the industry to be restructured British flag. So Botany Bay is now for me the tablish in their country. served the church for so long with faith--with and downsized. As a consequence, many people symbol of a dream which becomes a reality! My friend, things are changed since, but all their hearts and souls. Let them be part of the have been pushed back home, some still quite Tasman 2 has been yet another chapter one thing stays true: WhenAmen! you offer something, coming solemn congregation. young. I have clearly in mind some ex-Tyco and in this long Anglo-French The the reader can see between the lines if you are some ex-Alcatel guys, but also competition! ex-KDD, ex-BT, award to Alcatel came out asofa the big“good surprise or not genuinely motivated and sincere. Then and ex-C&W who are nostalgic old to days”. of them haveAlcatel. not yetEverybody reached 60, many,Many including inside was your offer becomes really attractive and this and whatever they do now, they still naturally expecting the British to feel win that thatthe batopens the route to “Botany Bay.” submarine cable community is their family--is their tle, and such an expectation was at that time culture. very logical. See you soon. Overall there is a fairly large population of There were so many difficulties and “ex” guys who considers themselves as members of Jean Devos is a senior consultant misunderstanding between and the submarine cable industry. SomeAustralia are teaching with Submarcom Consulting. He France, the main one being thelocal French presence Submarcom the “submarine segment” in their university, is alsoConsulting one of the founders and in the area, the worse the nuclear some arePacific publishing papers in being magazine, even a board member of Axiom, a Paris based company specialized writing Others are organizing “clubs ex.” bombbooks. experiment in Tahiti! The sad of Rainbow
Letter to a friend from Jean Devos
My dear friend We, my friend, are retired from the mainstream of the submarine cable business, but still playing modest little roles as advisers here and there. And we know that there are many people like us. So, as to keep our capability, we spend much time on the web, looking for information “Botany Bay” and staying in touch with what is going on around Ithe published recently aboth modest title globe. Amazingly, of usnovel, now inwhose our 70’s, still have aBay. goodItknowledge of the actual status of is Botany is the place in Australia where projects, technologies, cableAlcatel owners, established operators etc.a Very often we have a broadersubmarine view of the market cable and facthe corresponding issues than many of the active tory in 1989 as part of players who are somewhat prisoners in their own itshave contract for the sphere of influence. We also the advantage 2 link. In last this given by a good knowledgeTasman of the past. And same bay, where two but not the least, we are free. We are independent, not obliged to speak the language of ourbefore company. centuries the We have our own judgment French expedition I have in mind a well oldmade friend,of “La known Pérouse” who was a key industry figure from 1970-1980, two ships, La Boussole and then as a young engineer “during the war”. He was a cable-ship engineer when it was still “the telegraph time.” He is now approaching 90, still very excited about this industry, and very sharp on many aspects of it. He approached me recently in the framework of an investigation he was doing for one of his US customers interested in joining one
My Dear Friend
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Retired but not tired
Jean Devos
Jean Devos
I am personally member of Les amis des cables sous-marins (the Submarine cable friends), an association promoted by an ex-FT and an ex-cable ship captain. A monthly publication gathers articles submitted by the members. My friend, you and I know that some of the folks in activity do not see with pleasure these
in Submarine systems projects study & management. He spent three years developing Tyco’s international capability, and was the head of ASN (Alcatel Submarine Networks). Jean was born in 1938 and is graduated from the Lille University. He is the founder of SubOptic and carries a vast international experience in our field.
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