The Asia Link Cable System, a 6,000km undersea cable system, is being built under a US$300 million (SG$420.8 million) contract that was signed today by Singtel and five regional carriers (ALC). By linking Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei, and Hainan, China, the ALC hopes to assist the economic expansion of Southeast Asia. Its completion is targeted for the third quarter of 2025. Four additional regional carriers have joined the consortium, which is jointly led by Singtel and China Telecom Global Limited (CTG). These include China Telecommunications Corporation (CTC), Globe Telecom, Inc. (Globe), DITO Telecommunity Corporation (DITO) of the Philippines, Unified National Networks Sdn Bhd (UNN) of Brunei, and DITO Telecommunity Corporation (DITO) of the Philippines.
Further Information About the Infrastructure for Undersea Fibre Optic Cables
Southeast Asia is one of the world's fastest-growing economies, with rising digital demand from individuals and businesses spurred by the pandemic, according to Bill Chang, Chief Executive Officer, Group Enterprise and Regional Data Centre Business, Singtel. In order to complete their tasks, pursue their studies, or enjoy themselves, consumers and businesses are relying more and more on services and solutions that demand faster bandwidth and lower latency connectivity. Greater connectivity capabilities from the ALC will alter sectors, open up additional chances for innovation, improve consumers' digital experiences across Southeast Asia, and support the region's aspirations for growth.
Southeast Asia is experiencing a surge in demand for high-bandwidth, low-latency, and high-redundancy internet connectivity as the region's digital economy is expected to reach US $363 billion by 2025, driven by e-commerce development and a more digital populace. The ALC will increase capacity and route diversity for current networks, boosting resilience for international internet traffic through Southeast Asia, with eight fibre pairs in the system capable of transmitting up to 18 terabits per second (Tbps) per fibre pair, or the equivalent of downloading more than 2,500 hours of ultra-high-definition video per second.
The ALC will use an open cable system design, which will lessen its reliance on consortium partners from a single supplier and enable quick capacity expansions to meet changing carrier needs. When finished, the ALC will strengthen Singtel's reliable submarine cable infrastructure and open doors for companies in Singapore and the region to take advantage of the company's network, solutions, and services, as well as its knowledge of regional data centres to transform markets, businesses, and customer experiences.
With its extensive history and expertise in pioneering some of the earliest submarine cable investments in the region, Singtel is one of the consortium partners with the most technical experience. This includes the most recent 19,200 km Southeast Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 6 (SEA-ME-WE 6) submarine cable system connecting multiple countries between Singapore and France, which is anticipated to be finished in the first quarter of 2025.
