Vocus, a prominent digital infrastructure operator in Australia, has forged an agreement with Google to deploy cutting-edge submarine cable systems, linking Australia and the United States across the south Pacific. This collaboration marks a significant stride in their partnership, solidifying and expanding upon the Pacific Connect initiative, which aims to enhance digital connectivity in the region.
The Honomoana cable system, as part of this agreement, will extend to Auckland, New Zealand, facilitating dual Australian landings in Melbourne and Sydney. This expansion not only establishes a new domestic route between Sydney and Melbourne but also introduces the first diverse route across the Tasman Sea, capable of delivering up to 30Tbps of capacity between Australia and New Zealand.
Key Points:
- The agreement between Vocus and Google aims to bolster digital infrastructure, spanning from South-East Asia to the US, with multiple landings in Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific.
- The Pacific Connect initiative will elevate trans-Tasman data capacity with the addition of a new landing in Auckland, complementing existing networks and offering unprecedented capacity and redundancy.
- The Sydney to Melbourne route will provide customers with an additional redundant pathway on Australia’s east coast, enhancing network resilience alongside existing terrestrial routes.
- A core component of the Pacific Connect initiative involves establishing a trans-Pacific subsea ring connecting Australia and the US, with pre-positioned branching units to enable future connections for other Pacific nations.
- The agreement grants Vocus access to dark fibre across the Pacific Connect system, initially providing up to 30Tbps of capacity upon its completion in 2026, with provisions for future capacity expansion as demand grows.
- Vocus' existing infrastructure includes the Australia Singapore Cable, North West Cable System, Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable, and Australia's second-largest intercapital fibre backbone network, further underlining its commitment to enhancing digital connectivity in the region.
