Consortium set to build new APAC submarine cable

Singtel has today announced its role in a consortium of Asian telcos set to build a new APAC submarine cable.

 

The Asia Direct Cable is planned to span 9,400 kilometres, set to carry more than 140 terabits per second of traffic between East and South-East Asia. The cable will have connections to Singapore, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and China.

 

The cable is being developed by a consortium of regional operators, including Singtel, China Telecom, SoftBank, Tata Communications, and Viettel. NEC corporation has been contracted for the cable’s construction.

 

"The new cable will enhance our infrastructure and also our ability to harness new technologies for future growth. Together with the Southeast Asia–Japan Cable 2 system to be completed next year, the Asia Direct Cable will boost diversity and resilience of our global network," said Ooi Seng Keat, Singtel’s VP of carrier services, OTT, satellites and group enterprise.

 

Southeast Asia–Japan Cable 2, also being built out by NEC, was scheduled for completion this year,  but plans have since been revised, putting back the launch date to 2021/

 

At the heart of these new cable constructions is the anticipation of greater network capacity as a result of emerging, data-hungry technologies in the region, such as 5G, the cloud, AI and the IoT. As these technologies become more prevalent with the rise of 5G, submarine infrastructure will become even more integral to maintaining regional connectivity.

 

"The Asia Direct Cable system provides the highest cable capacity and necessary diversity for Asia’s key information hubs, which will enable carriers and service providers to better plan their networks and services for a sustainable development," said Chang Weiguo, China Telecoms co-chair of the project.

 

The cable is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022.