Singtel-Led consortium signs agreement with NEC to build asia united gateway east submarine cable system

Singtel, along with a consortium of leading telecommunications and technology companies, has announced the signing of a contract with NEC Corporation (TSE: 6701) to construct the Asia United Gateway East (AUG East) submarine cable system. The system will link Singapore and Japan, with landing points in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Taiwan. Scheduled for completion by the third quarter of 2029, the 8,900-kilometre high-capacity cable will address growing bandwidth demand and enhance digital connectivity across the region.

The consortium, chaired by Singtel, includes Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, ARTERIA Networks, Chunghwa Telecom, DREAMLINE, Globe Telecom, Telekom Malaysia, and Unified National Networks.

Alan Tan, Chairperson of the Asia United Gateway Cable Management Committee and Director of Submarine Cable Planning at Singtel, said,“With the surge in demand for high-speed connectivity and the bandwidth required to support AI-driven innovation in the region, the development of resilient and high-capacity digital infrastructure is increasingly vital. AUG East will connect the digital hubs of Singapore and Japan, while enhancing network diversity and reliability across a critical route. This investment will help advance digital inclusion and support economic growth across the Asia-Pacific region.”

Tomonori Uematsu, Corporate Senior Vice President at NEC Corporation, added, “NEC is honoured to be selected for this important project, which will support the growing demand for bandwidth-intensive applications, particularly those related to data centres and artificial intelligence. Drawing on our extensive experience as a leading Asia-based submarine cable supplier, we are committed to ensuring the success of AUG East.”

The cable system will be built using the latest submarine fibre optic technologies and will feature a high-count fibre pair design to deliver substantial bandwidth capacity, capable of supporting millions of simultaneous ultra high-definition video streams.

Global internet traffic generated by AI and AI-enhanced applications is projected to exceed that of traditional applications by 2031. Organisations across the Asia-Pacific region are among the most proactive globally in investing in digital infrastructure and generative AI technologies.

Once operational, AUG East will augment existing regional submarine cable systems by providing additional bandwidth and improving network resilience. It will also help maintain service continuity during natural disasters such as earthquakes, ensuring more robust and diverse connectivity for both consumers and enterprises.