Vocus selects UGL as Australian Digital Infrastructure Platform development partner

Vocus has selected UGL as development partner for the firm’s Australian Digital Infrastructure Platform (ADIP).

ADIP is the nation’s first ducted intercapital fibre network, Vocus claims, and will connect Sydney and Melbourne, ready for service by 2029. The network can accommodate up to 6,912 fibre cores and is geared towards the needs of AI workloads.

UGL will deliver an early works program for development of the proposed route between Sydney and Melbourne. The initial program includes survey, design, engineering, field validation, stakeholder engagement, project management and cost modelling activities required to prepare the project for construction. 

Vocus launched ADIP in June 2026 in response to growing demand for digital infrastructure and the clear need to expand Australia's subsea, intercapital and metro fibre infrastructure to support future economic growth and digital transformation, it stated.

ADIP will address Australia's growing fibre capacity requirements driven by AI, cloud and digital infrastructure investment with large-scale investment in thousands of new fibre route kilometres, thousands of fibre pairs and hundreds of terabits of capacity across new and existing routes. 

Vocus CTO Nikos Katinakis said a ducted long-haul network gives the company the flexibility to add capacity over time without breaking ground again or interfering with customers’ active networks, while providing greater resilience and protection against cable cuts.

"We have selected UGL because of its long track record of successful delivery of Australian digital infrastructure," he said.

"Selecting them as our development partner is the start of detailed route design and readiness activities on this route. Together, we will plan a network with the capacity, resilience and future flexibility required to meet global standards and support Australia’s long-term digital infrastructure needs.”

“As demand for data centres and mission-critical connectivity continues to grow, we are proud to partner with Vocus to help build the networks that keep businesses, communities and essential services connected," UGL's EGM of services Ilija Grgic said.