Asia Link Cable (ALC): A planned submarine cable connecting East and Southeast Asia
The Asia Link Cable (ALC) is a planned submarine telecommunications cable system designed to connect key locations in East and Southeast Asia. Spanning approximately 7,200 kilometers, this cable is expected to enhance regional connectivity and provide additional capacity for data transmission between countries like China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, and Brunei. The cable is scheduled to be ready for service in 2027, according to GeoCables data.
What makes the ALC particularly interesting is the breadth of its ownership consortium, which includes major telecom operators from across the region, such as China Telecom, Globe Telecom, Singtel, and Telekom Malaysia. Despite its ambitious scope, details about its design capacity, fiber pair count, and technology have not been disclosed publicly, leaving room for speculation about its ultimate capabilities.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Asia Link Cable (ALC) |
| Length | 7,200 km |
| Ready for service | 2027 (GeoCables database; conflicting industry sources not reported) |
| Status | Planned - not yet in operation |
| Owners | China Telecom, China Unicom, DITO Telecommunity, FPT Telecom, Globe Telecom, Matrix NAP Info, Singtel, TIME dotCom, Telekom Malaysia, Unified National Networks (UNN), VNPT, Viettel Corporation |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
🗺 Show Asia Link Cable (ALC) on the interactive cable map
Route
The Asia Link Cable is planned to connect eight landing points across six countries in East and Southeast Asia. These landing points are:
This route positions the ALC as a significant regional connector, linking major hubs like Singapore and Hong Kong with emerging markets such as Vietnam and the Philippines. The cable's corridor overlaps with several existing systems, such as the
Asia United Gateway East (AUG East) and the
Southeast Asia-Japan Cable (SJC), providing redundancy options.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Asia Link Cable is being developed to address the growing demand for high-speed, high-capacity data transmission in East and Southeast Asia. As internet usage, cloud services, and data center operations continue to expand in the region, the cable is expected to support both intra-regional traffic and international connectivity. Its diverse landing points suggest an intention to serve both densely populated urban centers and smaller markets, potentially boosting digital inclusion in less connected areas.
While specific details about the cable's capacity and technology are not publicly available, its ownership by prominent telecom operators indicates that it will likely be designed to handle significant traffic loads. The involvement of companies such as Singtel and Telekom Malaysia also suggests that the cable may play a role in supporting enterprise and wholesale services.
History: what can be established
The Asia Link Cable is currently in the planning phase, with a ready-for-service date recorded as 2027 in the GeoCables database. No conflicting industry sources have been reported, so this date remains the most likely timeline for its completion. However, submarine cable projects are often subject to delays due to factors such as permitting, environmental concerns, and geopolitical considerations. As of now, there is no publicly available information about the project's supplier or construction milestones.
Capacity and technology
Details about the ALC's design capacity, fiber pair count, and underlying technology have not been disclosed in public sources. Without operator documentation, it is impossible to state these specifications definitively. Given the cable's ownership by major telecom operators, it is reasonable to expect that it will utilize modern technologies such as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to maximize capacity, but this remains speculative without official confirmation.
Latency: the physics
Based on the cable's planned length of 7,200 kilometers, the theoretical one-way light propagation time is approximately 35.3 milliseconds, while the theoretical round-trip time (RTT) over the wet segment is around 70.6 milliseconds. These calculations assume light traveling at 200,000 to 204,000 km/s in optical fiber. Real-world latency will be higher due to additional factors such as terrestrial network segments, terminal equipment delays, and routing inefficiencies.
Live latency measurements from remote probes, which reflect full internet paths rather than the cable itself, show significantly higher RTTs. For example, the minimum RTT recorded between Chung Hom Kok and Changi was 136.1 milliseconds, far above the theoretical floor. These discrepancies highlight the impact of factors beyond the submarine cable, such as intermediate routing and network congestion.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
The ALC's route overlaps with several existing submarine cables, providing redundancy options in case of outages. At Changi, alternative systems include the Asia United Gateway East (AUG East) and the
Vietnam-Singapore Cable System (VTS). Similarly, Chung Hom Kok is served by cables like the Southeast Asia-Japan Cable (SJC) and
Asia Direct Cable (ADC). These overlapping systems can help maintain connectivity during repairs or disruptions.
Submarine cable repairs typically involve deploying specialized vessels to locate and fix faults, which can take weeks depending on the location and severity of the issue. The presence of alternative cables in the corridor reduces the risk of prolonged outages for users.
Bottom line
- The Asia Link Cable (ALC) is a planned submarine cable system connecting eight landing points across six countries in East and Southeast Asia.
- Its ready-for-service date is recorded as 2027, with no conflicting reports from industry sources.
- Details about its design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology have not been disclosed publicly.
- Theoretical latency over its wet segment is approximately 70.6 milliseconds RTT, but real-world measurements will be higher.
- Redundancy is provided by overlapping cables in key landing points, such as Changi and Chung Hom Kok.