Alcatel-Lucent is to continue to operate its undersea cables business, Alcatel-Lucent Submarine Networks (ASN), as a wholly-owned subsidiary.

According to the company, ASN will continue to execute its strategic roadmap, strengthen its position in submarine cable systems for telecom applications and pursue further diversification into the Oil & Gas sector.

ASN has more than 575,000 km of fiber-optic cable systems deployed worldwide, along with the maintenance of 330,000 km of undersea systems. ASN’s scope of operations comprises traditional undersea telecommunications networks and, increasingly, serving the Oil & Gas sector with mission-critical ultra-broadband communications for offshore production facilities.

Headquartered in Villarceaux, France, and with cable manufacturing and loading facilities in Calais, France, and repeater and branching unit production in Greenwich in the UK, ASN provides a turnkey product and service offering, including project management, installation and commissioning and marine operations and maintenance performed by its fleet of seven cable-laying ships.

To remind, Nokia plans to implement leadership and organizational structure changes after successful closing of the public exchange offer for Alcatel-Lucent securities announced on April 15, 2015.

However, “Retaining ASN has no impact on Alcatel-Lucent’s intention to complete its proposed combination with Nokia,” the company said in a press release.