Interchange Cable Network 1 (ICN1): Connecting Vanuatu and Fiji
Interchange Cable Network 1 (ICN1) is a submarine telecommunications cable linking
Port Vila in Vanuatu to
Suva in Fiji. Spanning approximately 1259 km, this cable is owned by Interchange and has been listed as in service since 2014 according to GeoCables records. It plays a key role in enhancing connectivity between these Pacific island nations, providing improved access to international networks.
What makes ICN1 particularly noteworthy is the lack of publicly disclosed technical specifications, such as design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology. This absence of information limits the ability to fully analyze its performance and technological underpinnings. Additionally, latency measurements from live internet probes reveal significant differences from the theoretical latency floor, highlighting the complexities of real-world network performance.
Quick facts
🗺 Show Interchange Cable Network 1 (ICN1) on the interactive cable map
Route
ICN1 connects Port Vila, the capital of Vanuatu, to Suva, the capital of Fiji. Port Vila serves as a key hub for Vanuatu's telecommunications infrastructure, while Suva is a major landing site for numerous submarine cables in the Pacific region. This cable provides a direct link between the two nations, facilitating regional connectivity and access to broader international networks via Fiji's extensive cable landing infrastructure.
Why it was built and what it carries
The primary purpose of ICN1 is to improve connectivity between Vanuatu and Fiji, two island nations with growing demand for reliable internet and telecommunications services. By linking Port Vila to Suva, ICN1 enables Vanuatu to leverage Fiji's more extensive submarine cable network, which includes connections to Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. This cable supports data, voice, and internet traffic, helping to bridge the digital divide in the Pacific region.
History: what can be established
GeoCables data records the ready-for-service year of ICN1 as 2014. While this date is widely accepted, industry sources occasionally report conflicting timelines for submarine cable projects due to delays in construction, testing, or regulatory approvals. No alternative RFS year has been identified for ICN1, suggesting that the 2014 date is likely accurate.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available information does not disclose the design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or specific technology used in ICN1. Without operator documentation, these details cannot be reliably inferred. Submarine cables typically employ dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) technology to maximize capacity, but attributing this to ICN1 without confirmation would be speculative.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation latency for ICN1 over its 1259 km length is approximately 6.2 ms, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 12.3 ms. These calculations assume light travels through fiber at speeds between 200,000 and 204,000 km/s. However, real-world latency is higher due to additional factors such as land-based network segments, terminal equipment, and routing inefficiencies.
GeoCables live measurements of the full internet path between Port Vila and Suva show a minimum RTT of 51.4 ms and an average of 57.8 ms in one direction. In the reverse direction, a single measurement recorded an RTT of 42.2 ms. These values reflect the combined impact of ICN1 and other network elements, rather than the cable alone.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure on ICN1, Vanuatu's connectivity could rely on the Tamtam cable, which also lands at Port Vila. Fiji's Suva landing point is significantly better connected, hosting multiple cables including APX East, Bulikula, Gondwana-2/Picot-2, Southern Cross Cable Network (SCCN), Southern Cross NEXT, Tabua, Tonga Cable, and Tui-Samoa. These alternative routes provide redundancy for Fiji's international communications, but Vanuatu's options are more limited, emphasizing the importance of ICN1's operational reliability.
Submarine cable repairs typically involve specialized vessels equipped to locate the fault, retrieve the damaged segment, and deploy a replacement. Repair timelines depend on factors such as the fault location, weather conditions, and vessel availability.
Bottom line
- Interchange Cable Network 1 (ICN1) connects Port Vila, Vanuatu, and Suva, Fiji, over a 1259 km route.
- Listed as in service since 2014, though technical specifications such as design capacity and fiber pairs are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency floor is 12.3 ms RTT for the wet segment; live internet path measurements show significantly higher RTT values.
- Redundancy for Vanuatu is limited to the Tamtam cable, while Fiji benefits from extensive alternative connections.
- Repair logistics follow standard industry practices but depend on external factors such as fault location and vessel availability.