SUBCO Has Announced Three New Subsea Cables
The expansion will add 40,000km of connectivity to support rising global demand for artificial intelligence.
Updated on Sept. 22, 2026 in Data Centers
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SUBCO revealed plans for a massive subsea infrastructure project that will install three new hypercables. The expansion aims to connect Australia to Japan, Los Angeles, and Southeast Asia to meet surging AI-driven data demands.
Why it matters
As artificial intelligence workloads grow, global networks require significantly higher capacity to manage data traffic. These subsea cables will provide the critical physical infrastructure needed to link major data hubs across the Indo-Pacific and North America.
The project includes the 9,500km APX North, the 10,000km APX East, and the 4,600km APX West systems. Each of these three new hypercables will feature 24 fibre pairs to maximize bandwidth across the global network.
The players
SUBCO
SUBCO is a specialized telecommunications company that focuses on the development and operation of subsea cable systems.
The details
The build will connect Sydney to Japan via Guam, Guam to Los Angeles, and Perth to Singapore with branches reaching Jakarta and Batam. The deployment of over 40,000km of infrastructure relies on specialized cable supply and vessels to complete the massive undertaking.
Timeline
Contracts for the cable systems are expected to be in force by early 2027.
The project is scheduled for completion in 2029.
The Tech Race
This project follows a pattern set by the Google-backed Pacific Connect initiative by prioritizing deep-sea fiber connectivity to bridge international data demand. It marks a significant escalation in the race to secure dedicated paths for international artificial intelligence workloads.
Improved subsea capacity will likely lead to reduced latency and faster data transfers for international digital services. Users can expect more robust connectivity for cross-border cloud computing and streaming applications as the network expands.
The takeaway
The rapid expansion of subsea fiber infrastructure is a direct response to the massive data requirements of current AI models. This project underscores the necessity of physical networking assets in maintaining a globalized and responsive digital economy.
What happens next
SUBCO anticipates having all contracts for the cable systems legally in force by early 2027, followed by a final completion date in 2029.
Further reading
For more on the infrastructure supporting global traffic, visit the Data Centers section.
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