Jakarta-Bangka-Bintan-Batam-Singapore (B3JS): Regional connectivity across Indonesia and Singapore
The Jakarta-Bangka-Bintan-Batam-Singapore (B3JS) submarine cable is a 1,031-kilometer system connecting multiple islands in Indonesia to Singapore. Owned by Moratelindo, it is listed as in service and has been operational since 2012 according to GeoCables records. This cable plays a significant role in linking
Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, to key regional hubs such as
Batam,
Bintan, and Bangka, as well as
Tanah Merah in Singapore.
What makes this cable particularly interesting is the lack of publicly disclosed technical details, such as its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology. While this is not uncommon in the submarine cable industry, it limits the ability to assess its full technical capabilities or compare it directly to other systems in the region. Additionally, there are discrepancies in latency measurements, highlighting the challenges of interpreting live internet path data versus theoretical physics.
Quick facts
| Name | Jakarta-Bangka-Bintan-Batam-Singapore (B3JS) |
| Length | 1,031 km |
| Ready for Service (RFS) | 2012 (GeoCables database value; no conflicting industry sources identified) |
| Owner | Moratelindo |
| Status | In service |
| Design Capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber Pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
Route
The B3JS cable connects six landing points across Indonesia and Singapore:
- Jakarta (Indonesia)
- Batu Prahu (Indonesia)
- Bintan (Indonesia)
- Batam (Indonesia)
- Pesaren (Indonesia)
- Tanah Merah (Singapore)
This route spans the Java Sea and the Singapore Strait, linking Indonesia's densely populated capital to nearby islands and Singapore, a major telecommunications hub. The cable's landing points are strategically chosen to serve both urban centers and regional connectivity needs.
Why it was built and what it carries
The B3JS cable was built to enhance connectivity between Indonesia and Singapore, addressing growing demand for bandwidth in Southeast Asia. Indonesia, with its vast archipelago and rapidly expanding internet usage, requires strong infrastructure to connect its islands and integrate with international networks. Singapore, as a global financial and technology hub, serves as a gateway for international traffic.
Though the design capacity of the B3JS cable has not been disclosed, its role in regional connectivity suggests it carries a mix of internet, voice, and enterprise data traffic. It likely supports both domestic Indonesian traffic and international transit through Singapore.
History: what can be established
GeoCables data records the B3JS cable as having been ready for service in 2012. No conflicting dates have been identified in publicly available industry sources, so this date is considered reliable. The cable was developed by Moratelindo, a significant player in Indonesia's telecommunications sector. The absence of information on the supplier and technology used in the cable’s construction is notable, as such details are often disclosed for new systems.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available data does not confirm the design capacity, fiber pair count, or specific technology used in the B3JS cable. Without operator documentation, attributing these details would be speculative. However, given its regional importance, the cable is likely designed to handle substantial traffic volumes, leveraging modern optical transmission technologies typical of systems built in the 2010s.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation latency over the 1,031-kilometer wet segment of the B3JS cable is approximately 5.1 milliseconds, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 10.1 milliseconds. This calculation assumes light travels through fiber at speeds between 200,000 and 204,000 kilometers per second.
Live measurements conducted via remote probes show significant discrepancies. For example:
- Tanah Merah -> Jakarta: minimum 1.4 ms, average 59.6 ms over 395 checks. The minimum value is flagged as a measurement artifact, as it is below the physical floor of 10.1 ms.
- Jakarta -> Tanah Merah: minimum 118.4 ms, average 118.5 ms over 2 checks. This is far above the theoretical floor, likely reflecting additional latency from land tails, terminal equipment, and routing.
These results underscore the complexity of measuring real-world latency, which depends on factors beyond the cable itself.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
The B3JS cable shares landing points with numerous other submarine cables, providing redundancy in case of outages. For example:
In the event of a failure, traffic can be rerouted through these alternative systems, minimizing disruption.
Bottom line
- The Jakarta-Bangka-Bintan-Batam-Singapore (B3JS) cable spans 1,031 km and has been operational since 2012.
- Owned by Moratelindo, the cable connects key locations in Indonesia and Singapore.
- Technical details such as design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency is approximately 10.1 ms RTT over the wet segment, but live measurements show higher real-world values due to additional factors.
- Redundancy is provided by numerous other cables at shared landing points, ensuring resilience in case of outages.