Bermuda-based Global Crossing has announced that it will extend its high-capacity Pan European Crossing (PEC) network into Spain and Scandinavia.

The move by the company, which is building and operating the world's most advanced global Internet provider (IP)-based fibre optic network, will connect a further eight new major cities to its worldwide system by early 2001.

The additional fibre rings raise Global Crossing's total European network investment to approximately $3 billion.

"Our announcement today is a major step forward in the ongoing development of our seamless global network, connecting the top metropolitan centres in Europe with our undersea cables to the US, Asia and Latin America,'' said Wim Huisman, President of Global Crossing's European operations.

"We are now bringing to Spain and Scandinavia not only world class connectivity, but also high-speed and ultra-reliable communications services that will continue to enable our customers to conduct their business on a truly global scale.

Global Crossing's PEC network will feature more than one million kilometres of actual fibre, stretched over a geographic route covering more than 23,000 kilometres, linking 41 major metropolitan centres in Europe to Global Crossing's growing worldwide IP-based fibre system.

Commercial service began on Phase I of PEC late last year providing connectivity to over a dozen cities, including London, Paris, Strasbourg, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Hamburg, Hannover, Dusseldorf, Cologne, Frankfurt and Copenhagen.

In the year 2000, Phase II planned expansions of the network will include connections to Berlin, Dresden, Leipzig, Nuremburg, Munich, Stuttgart, Lyon, Marseilles, Bordeaux, Turin, Milan, Zurich, as well as Madrid, Barcelona, Oslo and Stockholm.

Global Crossing has existing terrestrial networks in North America and Japan, as well as sub-sea cables connecting Europe and Asia to North America. Under rapid construction are sub-sea and terrestrial networks linking North America to the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America and Latin America.

Through its Asia Global Crossing joint venture, Global Crossing is connecting its Japanese and cross-Pacific cables to the rest of East Asia.

Under a supply contract for PEC, Lucent Technologies, Inc. will provide Global Crossing with its industry-leading optical network systems in Spain and Scandinavia.