The Timor-Leste South Submarine Cable System (TLSSC) has landed at its first point in Dili, Timor-Leste.
The country’s Ministry of Transport and Communication said the installation of the country’s first subsea cable connection has begun.
TLSSC, which is owned by the country's government, spans 607km with a capacity of 27Tbps and seven repeaters. It's scheduled for completion at the end of this year.
The first landing station in Dili is being constructed by DXN, in a deal valued at $1.4 million. Alcatel Submarine Networks constructed the cable.
The TLSSC project aims to construct a submarine cable connection between Díli and the Australian North-West Cable System (NWCS) which spans Darwin and Port Hedland.
Vocus-owned NWCS was laid in 2016. The 2,100km cable also lands at Wurrumiyanga on Bathurst Island, just off the northern coast of Australia.
“The TLSCC 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,” said Miguel Marque Goncalves, minister of transport and communication of Timor-Leste.
Timor-Leste has relied on microwave radio and satellite communications until now. The country is also set to see its second subsea cable connection in the coming years via the Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1).
The ACC-1 cable will connect Los Angeles to Singapore, Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and the Philippines.
The planned Hawaiki Nui cable, expected to be operational in 2027, has the potential to also connect Timor-Leste to Australia, Indonesia, and Singapore.
