Submarine cables can be seen as the backbone of the global internet network connecting countries and continents and it is important that they are constantly upgraded and come with new technologies to ensure that information networks are not interrupted between each other.
Recently, Telekom Malaysia has announced that they will join a new Submarine Cable Consortium called Candle to connect the networks of Southeast Asian countries to Japan, which is one of the global internet network hubs.
Candle is an 8,000 km long submarine cable system with 24 pairs of fibers spanning 8000KM connecting Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore and is scheduled to be operational in 2028. It consists of a consortium of companies such as Telekom Malaysia, Meta, SoftBank Corp., IPS Inc., PT XLSmart, Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corporation.
This project will contribute to the expansion of infrastructure and provide additional secure routes to meet the increasing data demand, driven by 5G technology and artificial intelligence.
For the Malaysian network, looking at the cable map shown, it will start from Tanjung Sedili, Johor before meeting with the Candle mainline in Singapore waters, showing a shared connection from Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Japan.
Candle Management Committee Chairman, Don Pang, said, “Candle is a significant advancement in strengthening the region’s digital infrastructure. In line with the increasing need for robust and high-speed connectivity, Candle will provide better network diversity and resilience along this important corridor, leveraging the latest technology.”
Amar Huzaimi Md Deris, TM Group Chief Executive Officer said, “TM’s participation in the Candle submarine cable system project demonstrates our commitment to building a robust digital infrastructure to meet the growing demand for digital services as well as cloud-based and Artificial Intelligence (AI) innovations across Asia. This strengthens our ability to support hyperscalers, enterprises and global service providers in expanding their reach across ASEAN, while strengthening Malaysia’s role as ASEAN’s digital hub.”
