Approved
Building on Australia’s successful role in delivering the Coral Sea Cable System, the 4700km submarine cable linking Australia, Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands, the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific is financing a portion of a telecommunications cable project in Timor-Leste.
Working closely with the Government of Timor-Leste on what will be the first undersea cable into the country; the AIFFP is investing AUD1.5 million to complete a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) to scope various cable design options, route options and technical and engineering requirements. The FEED provides legal and regulatory analysis and business and strategic advice on the telecommunications market. The FEED provides the Government of Timor-Leste with high quality analysis and design information to construct a quality undersea telecommunications cable that meets the needs of Timor-Leste.
This project is currently under scoping.
AIFFP contribution
AUD1.5 million
Delivery partners
Principle contractor
Vocus Group
Impact
Timor-Leste is one of the few remaining countries in the world not connected to an international undersea fibre optic cable. Timor-Leste accesses the internet through satellite and microwave radio, which makes access expensive and slow. Despite the cost, there is high demand for the internet.
An ICT cable will offer faster, cheaper and more reliable internet connectivity to Timor-Leste. It will lead to significant ICT-driven economic growth and opportunities for development. A fibre optic cable will transform Timor-Leste’s digital connection with the world and reduce the communication barriers between people, skills, business, and governments, which has become even more important to support post-COVID economic recovery.