BP is building an 800-mile undersea fiber optic system in the Gulf of Mexico to provide continuous broadband connectivity to the company's offshore oil and gas facilities. The system will allow greater operating flexibility. In the future, the network may make it possible for BP staff onshore to control offshore facilities remotely. The project is part of BP's overall strategy to ensure that key oil and gas production facilities around the world provide reliable supplies to market at times of greatest need. Excess bandwidth will be made commercially available for third party deepwater operators. TYCO Telecommunications will construct the undersea fiber optic system, which will be operational in late 2007.