Gondwana-2/Picot-2: Connecting New Caledonia and Fiji
The Gondwana-2/Picot-2 submarine cable is a fiber-optic telecommunications system linking New Caledonia and Fiji. Owned by OPT (Office des Postes et Télécommunications de Nouvelle-Calédonie), it spans approximately 1,515 kilometers and was recorded as ready for service (RFS) in 2022 according to GeoCables data. The cable is listed as in service and forms part of the broader network infrastructure supporting connectivity in the Pacific region.
What sets Gondwana-2/Picot-2 apart is its role in providing redundancy and enhancing connectivity between New Caledonia and Fiji, both of which are key hubs in the Pacific. However, several technical details about the cable, including its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology, remain undisclosed in public sources, leaving certain aspects of its capabilities open to speculation.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Gondwana-2/Picot-2 |
| Length | 1,515 km |
| Ready for service | 2022 (GeoCables database) |
| Owner | OPT |
| Status | In service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Mont-Dore, Noumea, Suva, Tadine, Vao, We, Yate |
Route
The Gondwana-2/Picot-2 cable connects multiple landing points in New Caledonia (Mont-Dore, Noumea, Tadine, Vao, We, and Yate) to Suva in Fiji. Noumea, the capital of New Caledonia, serves as a major node for international connectivity and is also a landing site for the earlier
Gondwana-1 cable. Suva, Fiji’s capital, is a critical telecommunications hub in the Pacific, hosting numerous other submarine cables, including
APX East,
Bulikula,
Interchange Cable Network 1 (ICN1),
Southern Cross Cable Network (SCCN),
Southern Cross NEXT,
Tabua,
Tonga Cable, and
Tui-Samoa. The landing point at We in New Caledonia is also connected to the
Tamtam cable.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Gondwana-2/Picot-2 cable was likely constructed to improve connectivity between New Caledonia and Fiji, ensuring greater redundancy and capacity for international communications. New Caledonia, as an overseas territory of France, relies heavily on submarine cables for internet and telecommunications services. Fiji, meanwhile, serves as a regional hub, connecting smaller Pacific nations to larger global networks. While the specific data capacity and usage of Gondwana-2/Picot-2 are not publicly disclosed, its role in enhancing regional connectivity is evident.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records the cable as ready for service in 2022, but no conflicting dates have been identified in industry sources. The cable’s construction aligns with a broader trend of expanding submarine cable infrastructure in the Pacific to meet growing demand for bandwidth and improve resilience against outages.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available information does not disclose the design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or specific technologies employed in Gondwana-2/Picot-2. Without operator documentation, attributing these details would be speculative. Industry-standard practices suggest that modern submarine cables typically employ dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology to maximize capacity, but whether this applies to Gondwana-2/Picot-2 cannot be confirmed.
Latency: the physics
Theoretical calculations indicate that light propagation over the 1,515 km wet segment of Gondwana-2/Picot-2 would result in a one-way latency of approximately 7.4 milliseconds, with a theoretical round-trip time (RTT) floor of 14.9 milliseconds. However, real-world latency is higher due to factors such as land-based routing, terminal equipment delays, and network congestion. Live measurements from GeoCables’ remote probes show a minimum RTT of 37.5 ms (Noumea to Suva) and 405.1 ms (Suva to Noumea), though these figures reflect the entire internet path, not the cable alone.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, redundancy for Gondwana-2/Picot-2 is provided by other cables in the region. Noumea is also connected to Gondwana-1, while Suva serves as a landing point for multiple cables, including Southern Cross NEXT and Tui-Samoa, among others. These alternative routes ensure continued connectivity, although repair logistics for submarine cables can be challenging due to the need for specialized ships and equipment.
Bottom line
- Gondwana-2/Picot-2 spans 1,515 km, connecting New Caledonia and Fiji.
- Recorded as ready for service in 2022, owned by OPT, and listed as in service.
- Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
- Landing points include Mont-Dore, Noumea, Suva, Tadine, Vao, We, and Yate.
- Theoretical RTT floor over the wet segment is 14.9 ms, but real-world latency is higher.
- Redundancy is provided by other cables in Noumea and Suva.