Investment, jobs and data after Government secures cable deal

The new Darwin-based cable project will provide investment and jobs to the Territory, at no cost to the taxpayer.

UPDATE: THE NT Government will make no contribution to the new $700m subsea optical cable system which will deliver investment and jobs to the Territory.

A spokesperson for Chief Minister Michael Gunner said late yesterday the Government would contribute “nothing” to the Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1), which the NT News revealed exclusively on Thursday.

The cable will link Singapore, Indonesia, East Timor, Australia and the west coast of the US with Guam, with connections in Japan.

Melbourne start-up Inligo Network plan to land the Australian component of the cable at a location in Fannie Bay identified between Darwin High School and the Ski Club. Inligo Networks will also build a new $200m terrestrial cable linking Darwin to Adelaide.

Comments posted on social media responding to the NT News report questioned the Territory Government’s contribution to getting the project into Darwin.

‘History tells it will be … at a cost to the NT tax payer’, one reader contributed.

‘How much did he waste this time?’ another asked.

Simon Zettl, Inligo Networks commercial director, said the cable construction would have far-ranging benefits for the Territory economy.

“The opportunity to land a new international subsea cable into Darwin creates the connectivity and optionality required by today’s technology providers and will underpin significant additional investments into Darwin,” he said.

Inligo Networks estimates the cable will be operational by 2025.

EARLIER: A NEW $700m subsea optical cable system linking Australia, Asia and the United States will land in Darwin – bringing with it infrastructure and jobs.

Melbourne telecommunications infrastructure company Inligo Networks has finalised negotiations with the Territory Government to land the cable here.

Although a landing site has not yet been finalised, it is expected to be between Darwin High School and the Darwin Ski Club.

The Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1) System will link Singapore, Indonesia, Timor Leste, Australia and the west coast of the United States via Guam, with connections in Japan.

As part of Inligo Network’s plan to provide low latency, high-capacity digital connectivity for Darwin, the company will build a new $200m terrestrial cable linking Darwin to Adelaide.

It will deliver onward seamless connections to Melbourne, Canberra and Sydney providing the high speed, high-capacity connectivity needed to support the development of additional data centre investments in Darwin.

The capacity to provide new low latency, high capacity services directly between Australia and the US will position Darwin as the major telecommunications hub between Australia, Indonesia and Singapore, surpassing longer and less direct routes via Perth.

With 16 fibre pairs capacity and running the latest optical technology, ACC-1 will be one of the highest capacity commercial subsea fibre projects in the region.

The network design has been completed and landing partners agreed, and Inligo Networks is due to commence construction in the first half of this year.

Chief Minister Michael Gunner said the government had worked closely with Inligo to support the cable landing into Fannie Bay as well as providing support to ensure the domestic cable system segments connect to communities and businesses. “It’s incredibly exciting to be announcing Darwin’s connection into the fastest growing data market in the world,” Mr Gunner said.

“Driving digital investment in Darwin will future proof our job market and strengthen industry. It means jobs today, but also new and exciting digital opportunities into the future for Territory kids.”