Vocus lights up Darwin's first international cable

Internet backbone provider Vocus has switched on the first international data cable in Darwin, spanning 1000 kilometres and with 40 terabits per second capacity.

The Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore Cable (DJSC) system cost $100 million, and received a $7.9 million contribution from the Northern Territory government's Terabit Territory program.

It connects the Vocus North-West Cable System (NWCS) from Darwin to Porth Hedland with the backborne providers Australia Singapore Cable, which runs from Perth to Singapore.

All in all, the connected cable systems form a 7700 kilometre network between Darwin and Singapore.

Vocus said the DJSC is part of its $1 billion investment strategy that includes a new 2000 kilometre inland fibre route from Perth to Port Hedland, "Project Horizon". 

“Submarine cables are the superhighways of the global internet, carrying 97 per cent of global internet traffic between major data centres," Ellie Sweeney, chief executive of Vocus said.

"The DJSC system will deliver this high-capacity connectivity straight into the heart of Darwin, establishing Australia’s North as a new data hub for the Asia Pacific region," she added.

“The DJSC connects to the ‘Terabit Territory’ intercapital fibre backbone from Darwin to Adelaide and Brisbane, which Vocus upgraded with a 25-times capacity increase in 2021."

"Combined, with DJSC and Terabit Territory fibre network allow data from the Singapore to flow through Darwin to all mainland capitals on Vocus’ national fibre network," Sweeney said.

The chief minister of the Northern Territory, Natasha Fyles, said the DJSC provided the foundation for Darwin to establish itself as a new data centre hub for the Asia Pacific region.

She said the new cable system is "a massive sign of confidence in the Top End."

Already, NEXTDC, which is currently looking to build data centres in Malaysia, has announced it will construct a flagship hyperscale facility in Darwin that's connected to the DJSC.

This will offer an alternative to offshore data centres for companies seekiing a location close to Asia, within a geopolitically stable region.

“We are now progressing the development of NEXTDC’s first facility in Darwin to set the benchmark for data centres in the region, providing 100 per cent uptime in addition to fast, secure, and flexible access to Australia’s most cloud connected ecosystem," NEXTDC chief executive and managing director Craig Scroggie.