Timor Leste is set to get its first-ever subsea cable connection later this year as work begins to install the Timor Leste South Submarine Cable System (TLSSC) at its landing station in Dili, according to country’s Ministry of Transport and Communication.
Timor Leste currently relies on satellite connectivity and microwave radios for international internet connectivity. The TLSSC – which has been in development for ten years – is planned to connect Timor Leste to the North West Cable System (NWCS) owned by Vocus that runs along the northwest coast of Australia. It also features a branch cable to the Greater Sunrise gas field 140 km south of Timor-Leste.
The government-owned 607-km cable includes seven repeaters, and is designed with a data capacity of 27 Tbps. The cable is being constructed by Alcatel Submarine Networks, while the landing station in Dili is being constructed by DXN, under contracts reportedly worth US$38.6 million and US$1.4 million, respectively.
The Timor Leste government is footing the bill for the TLSSC cable, with help from the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), which has contributed a grant of A$7.2 million (US$4.8 million) and a loan of A$25.7 million to the project.
At the official landing ceremony on Monday, Transport and Communication minister Miguel Marques Gonçalves Manetelu said the new cable will significantly reduce latency and increase internet speeds, heralding a new era of digital transformation for the nation.
“The TLSSC is more than just a cable; it is a lifeline that will bridge our nation with the world, providing unprecedented opportunities for growth, innovation, and development,” he said.
According to the Timor Post, ASN vice president Marc Genot said installation and testing of the TLSCC will be completed by the end of this year.
Timor Leste is due to get a second subsea cable connection in the next few years via the Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1) System from Inigo Networks that will run from Los Angeles to Singapore, Indonesia, Timor Leste and the Philippines, with stops in Guam and Darwin. Inligo has contracted SacomTel to build the landing station in Dili, linking it to SacomTel’s data centre in the city.
Meanwhile, the recently announced Hawaiki Nui 1 subsea cable systemrecently announced Hawaiki Nui 1 subsea cable system – which will be developed and constructed by BW Digital and Telin – includes an optional branch for Timor Leste.
Both ACC-1 and the Hawaiki Nui cable are scheduled to be ready for service in 2027.