THE PACIFIC: SECURING THE FUTURE

BY JOHN HIBBARD AND PAUL MCCANN

Over the last five years, our focus on the Pacific Region Submarine Cable development has demonstrated enormous growth in the number of cables servicing the Pacific Island Countries (PIC), identifying “gaps” that exist and potential solutions or strategies that could be deployed to strengthen the region in terms of connectivity and resilience. For those of us lucky enough to be part of the Pacific Region Telecommunications Industry, it has been another amazing journey!

Today, as we approach the point where every PIC will have access to at least one international submarine cable, we would like to take another snapshot of the current status, and to take a look at the road ahead to see what else is needed in the Pacific by “Securing the Future.”

WE’VE DONE GOOD!

The tables below are provided to explain the status of connectivity via submarine cable in place or planned across the 22 PICs. The statistics demonstrate the solid focus that has taken place across the region to improve connectivity, and they also help us analyse future requirements and understand the gaps and opportunities that need to be considered for the future!

Kiribati and Nauru connectivity is currently under construction with the EMC (East Micronesia Cable) Project in full swing, using NEC as the supplier and targeting system in-service by the end of 2025. Tokelau is currently connected to the SX NEXT Cable system but not carrying any traffic at this time, awaiting the completion of the Tokelau Domestic Cable (TDC) - expected to be ready for service in August 2023 - and the relocation of the Tokelau Domestic systems into new Office Buildings on all three atolls. This project in Tokelau can teach us a few lessons that will be relevant for the region in the future!

And again – Tuvalu is the only PIC that does not have firm plans in place for a submarine cable connection – but rest assured there are at least two options in play that could

Submarine Cables of the Pacific Nations

Micronesia: Route: Status:

HANTRU Majuro – Kwajalein – Pohnpei – Guam In Services, RFS 2010

SEA-US Philippines/Indonesia to Guam, Hawaii, USA In Service, RFS 2017

Palau Spur Palau to Guam In Service end 2017

Yap Spur Yap to Guam In Service 2018

Chuuk - Pohnpei Chuuk to Pohnpei (domestic) In Service May 2019

Atisa Saipan – Tinian - Rota – Guam In Service June 2017

EMC Kosrae – Pohnpei – Kiribati - Nauru

Melanesia:

Targeted 2025

Coral Sea Cable Honiara - Sydney, Port Moresby - Sydney In Service Dec 2019

Solomon Islands Domestic Auki – Honiara – Noro In Service Feb 2020

Kumul Many locations around PNG In Service 2019

APNG-2 Port Moresby – Sydney In Service 2006

PPC-1 Sydney – Madang – Guam In Service 2008

ICN1 Vanuatu – Fiji In Service 2014

Gondwana-1

New Caledonia to Sydney In Service 2011

Gondwana-2 & Picot 2 Noumea, Tadine, Vao, We, Yate, Mont-Dore, Suva In Service August 2022

Polynesia:

TCC1 (Tonga Cable) Tonga to Fiji In Service Aug 2013

TDCE (Tonga Domestic Cable) Neifu, Nuku’alofa, Pangai In Service Jan 2018

Tui-Samoa Cable Samoa to Fiji, Spurs for Wallis & Futuna In Service end 2017

Hawaiki Syd – NZ - American Samoa – Hawaii – USA In Service 2018

ASH Pago Pago to Hawaii Retired

SAS Apia to Pago Pago

Honotua Tahiti to Hawaii

In Service May 2009

In Service Sept 2010

Southern Cross Sydney, New Zealand, Fiji, Hawaii, USA In Service Nov 2000

Natitua French Polynesia Marquesas domestic In Service 2018

Natitua Sud Hitia’a, Rurutu, Tubuai

Targeted 2023

Tui Samoa Samoa (incl Savaii), Wallis & Futuna, Savusavu, Suva In Service 2018

Manatua Tahiti, Samoa, Cook Islands, Niue In Service Jul 2020

Tokelau Domestic Cable Nukunonu, Atafu and Fakaofo

Targeted 2023

SX NEXT SYD-LA, plus Samoa, Tokelau, Kiritimati, Fiji, NZL In Service 2022