Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network

Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network: Connecting Sri Lanka and the Maldives

The Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network is a submarine fiber optic cable linking Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Male, Maldives. Spanning approximately 850 kilometers, it is jointly operated by Dhiraagu, the primary telecommunications provider in the Maldives, and Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT). This cable serves as a critical connection between the two nations, facilitating international communications and internet traffic. What makes this cable particularly interesting is the limited public disclosure about its technical specifications, such as design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier. While GeoCables records its ready-for-service (RFS) date as 2007, no further details about its technology or upgrades are readily available, leaving room for speculation about its current capabilities and role in regional connectivity.

Quick facts

Cable name	Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network
Length	850 km
Ready-for-service year	2007 (GeoCables database value; conflicting industry sources not surfaced)
Owners	Dhiraagu, Sri Lanka Telecom
Status	In service
Design capacity	Not disclosed
Fiber pairs	Not disclosed
Supplier	Not disclosed
Technology	Not disclosed
Landing points	Colombo (Sri Lanka); Male (Maldives)
Other cables at Colombo	FALCON, SeaMeWe-4
Other cables at Male	FALCON
Same corridor alternatives	FALCON

Show Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network on the interactive cable map

Route

The Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network connects Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka, with Male, the capital of Maldives. Colombo serves as a major regional hub for international connectivity, hosting multiple submarine cables such as FALCON and SeaMeWe-4. Male, while smaller in scale, also connects to FALCON, offering redundancy for international traffic in the region. The cable traverses the Indian Ocean, linking two island nations separated by 850 kilometers of sea.

Why it was built and what it carries

This cable was built to enhance direct connectivity between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, supporting both nations' growing demand for internet and telecommunications services. For the Maldives, which relies heavily on international links for connectivity due to its geographic isolation, the Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network plays a key role in ensuring reliable communication with Sri Lanka and beyond. The cable likely carries a mix of internet traffic, voice communications, and data for enterprise and government use.

History: what can be established

GeoCables records the ready-for-service date of the Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network as 2007. Public sources do not dispute this date, nor do they offer alternative timelines. It is unclear whether the cable has undergone major upgrades or repairs since its commissioning. The joint ownership by Dhiraagu and SLT suggests a cooperative effort to address regional connectivity needs, but details about the initial planning, construction, and funding remain sparse.

Capacity and technology

The design capacity, number of fiber pairs, supplier, and specific technology used in the Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network have not been disclosed in publicly available sources. Without operator documentation, it is impossible to provide an accurate assessment of the cable's technical specifications. This lack of transparency is not uncommon for older cables, especially those serving smaller markets.

Latency: the physics

The theoretical one-way latency for light propagation over the 850 km wet segment is approximately 4.2 milliseconds, yielding a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 8.3 milliseconds. However, real-world latency is higher due to factors such as terrestrial network delays, terminal equipment processing, and routing inefficiencies. Live measurements from remote probes show significantly higher RTTs between Colombo and Male, with a minimum of 24.4 milliseconds and an average of 113.4 milliseconds. These figures reflect the full internet path, including land tails and intermediate routing. The disparity between theoretical and measured values underscores the complexity of end-to-end internet performance.

Redundancy: what happens if it breaks

In the event of a disruption to the Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network, the FALCON cable offers redundancy for traffic between Colombo and Male. Both cities are landing points for FALCON, which serves as an alternative corridor for international connectivity in the region. Repairing submarine cables typically involves deploying specialized cable-laying and maintenance vessels to locate and fix the fault, a process that can take days or weeks depending on the severity of the issue and weather conditions.

Bottom line

• The Dhiraagu-SLT Submarine Cable Network spans 850 km, connecting Colombo, Sri Lanka, to Male, Maldives.
• Its ready-for-service year is recorded as 2007, with no conflicting dates surfaced in public sources.
• Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology details are not publicly disclosed.
• Theoretical latency over the wet segment is approximately 8.3 ms RTT, but real-world measurements are significantly higher.
• FALCON provides redundancy for traffic between Colombo and Male.