The 2nd Submarine Cable connecting Palau to the rest of the world is now projected to be ready for service by the first quarter of 2025, according to Robin Russell, CEO of Belau Submarine Cable Corporation.
The project was supposed to be ready by the third quarter of this year.
“The second cable is now expected to be Ready for Service in the first quarter of 2025. This is due to delays on the main trunk project. In particular, the Singapore regulator has imposed additional requirements on the Echo cable, including a sea-grass survey. BSCC has completed almost all the Palau based work that is required, but until the main trunk cable is operating, we are unable to provide service,” explains CEO Russell of the delay.
Meanwhile, BSCC (Belau Submarine Cable Corporation), which manages the operation of the submarine cable connectivity in Palau, “has completed a fiber loop around the Compact Road and is currently installing Ciena service routers in Guam, Ngeremlengui, Ngardmau, and Airai to enable 100 Gbps connections on that loop.”
The second submarine cable connects Palau via Echo Submarine Cable Project, a cable from Singapore to the west coast United States. The project funding for the Palau connection was made possible through a “tri-lateral cooperation” between Australia, Japan, and United States.
The first submarine cable project, launched in 2018, connected Palau via the SEA-US cable project from Indonesia, the Philippines to Guam, Hawaii, and California. This was funded through a loan from the Asian Development Bank. The second submarine cable assures resilience and capacity in Palau’s connectivity with the outside world, providing opportunities for more diverse economic activities.
