New infrastructure will soon see a dramatic boost to Darwin’s internet access. 

Vocus Group's highly anticipated cable system, which will connect Darwin to Jakarta and Singapore, is one step closer to becoming a reality. 

The company has announced that the $100 million segment linking Darwin to the rest of the network is now complete, paving the way for final testing and a mid-year go-live.

The 1,000km segment links the Australia-Singapore Cable, which runs from Perth to Singapore, with the North-West Cable System, which spans Darwin to Port Hedland. 

It was completed when the crew of Alcatel Submarine Networks' cable ship Ile De Re lifted the Australia-Singapore Cable from a depth of 5km to splice it to the new cable.

According to Vocus CEO Ellie Sweeney, the Darwin-Jakarta-Singapore (DJSC) cable system will establish Darwin as “a new high-tech centre in Southeast Asia” and unlock its potential as a major new data hub for the Asia Pacific. 

In addition, the system will establish both Darwin and Port Hedland as new entry points for international data into Australia, providing greater resilience and redundancy to ensure international internet connectivity.

The Darwin cable also connects to Vocus's "Terabit Territory" fibre, which runs from Darwin to Adelaide and Brisbane. 

With this new cable system in place, Vocus is poised to play a significant role in shaping the future of high-speed internet connectivity in the Asia Pacific region.