C&W Communications, operators of the Flow, Flow Business, C&W Business and BTC brands in the Caribbean, is confirming all systems are in place for the start of the 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season which begins on June 1.
According to the National Hurricane Centre, the 2022 season is expected to be ‘above[1]normal’ with a 65 percent chance there will be between 14 and 21 named storms (winds of 39mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74mph or higher), including 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111mph or higher).
The increased activity anticipated this hurricane season is attributed to several climate factors including the ongoing La Niña that is likely to persist throughout the hurricane season, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced west African monsoon.
“We have a long and proud history of delivering reliable connections across the Caribbean and our teams have been conducting simulation exercises and strengthening the networks, so we are once again leaving nothing to chance,” said Inge Smidts, Chief Executive Officer, C&W Communications.
The company also operates a state-of-the-art subsea network, which is one of the most secure subsea cable systems in the Western Hemisphere, with increased redundancy added by incorporating alternative routes for data and mobile traffic in the event of an emergency.
“We continue to invest in the redundancy capabilities of our sub-sea network, and we have established data centres that are located outside of the hurricane belt, which provides an additional layer of protection for connectivity in the region,” added Smidts.
“We know that governments, schools, healthcare providers, businesses and individuals are relying on us to keep them connected and our commitment to the communities we serve has never been stronger. While we are hopeful that no customers will be impacted during this year’s hurricane season, we must also ensure that we are ready to face that reality and we are prepared to respond to any eventuality if it comes.”