Approved
The Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP) is financing advisory support for the Government of Timor-Leste to deliver its first submarine telecommunications cable.
The AIFFP is investing AUD7.2 million to provide advisory support to various stages of the Timor-Leste South Submarine Cable project, which the Government of Timor-Leste is funding and delivering. In response to the requests of the Government of Timor-Leste, the AIFFP has provided funding across three sequential contracts to support the project:
- Development of a Front End Engineering Design (FEED) to scope various cable design options, route options and technical and engineering requirements. The FEED includes legal, regulatory and economic analysis to provide the Government of Timor-Leste with high quality project design information to construct a submarine telecommunications cable that meets the needs of Timor-Leste. This component was completed in 2021.
- Advisory support for the procurement of a turnkey marine vendor, with a contract awarded by the Government of Timor-Leste to Alcatel Submarine Networks. This component was completed in 2022.
- Advisory support for the design and procurement of the project’s landing infrastructure, and oversight of the marine elements undertaken by Alcatel Submarine Networks. This component is currently underway.
AIFFP contribution
Grant of AUD7.2 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 submarine telecommunications cable. Timor-Leste accesses the internet through satellite and microwave radio, which makes access expensive and slow. A submarine telecommunications cable will offer faster, cheaper and more reliable internet connectivity to Timor-Leste. It will lead to significant opportunities for ICT-driven economic growth and development. A submarine cable will enable a transformation of 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.