Lazaro Cardenas-Manzanillo Santiago Submarine Cable System (LCMSSCS)

Overview

The Lazaro Cardenas-Manzanillo Santiago Submarine Cable System (LCMSSCS) is a 322 km submarine fiber-optic cable system located entirely within Mexican territorial waters. This unrepeatered system connects three critical locations along Mexico's Pacific coast: Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in Guerrero, and Manzanillo (Bahía de Santiago) in Colima. The cable became operational in 2013 and is owned and operated by Telmex, a subsidiary of América Móvil. Its primary purpose is to enhance coastal connectivity and provide redundancy for terrestrial networks in a region prone to seismic activity.

The LCMSSCS is notable for its domestic scope, as it does not cross international borders, making it a rare example of a purely national submarine cable. Its design as an unrepeatered system, with no powered amplifiers on the seabed, reduces operational and maintenance costs. The cable plays a vital role in supporting economic and industrial activities in the regions it serves, which include major ports, industrial hubs, and tourist destinations.

Route and Landings

The LCMSSCS spans the Pacific coast of Mexico, connecting three landing points: Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas in Michoacán, Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo in Guerrero, and Manzanillo in Colima. The route is divided into two main segments: approximately 120 km from Lázaro Cárdenas to Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, and 202 km from Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo to Manzanillo. These locations were strategically chosen due to their economic importance and geographic positioning.

Ciudad Lázaro Cárdenas is a major industrial port and a key gateway for steel and container cargo. Ixtapa-Zihuatanejo, located in Guerrero, is a prominent international tourist destination, while Manzanillo, in Colima, is Mexico's busiest Pacific port by cargo volume. The cable's route lies entirely within the territorial waters of Mexico, traversing the seismically active Pacific coast, which is part of the Cocos tectonic plate subduction zone. This region's vulnerability to earthquakes and landslides underscores the importance of the LCMSSCS in providing reliable connectivity.

Ownership and History

The LCMSSCS is wholly owned by Telmex, a subsidiary of América Móvil, the largest telecommunications company in Latin America. The cable was constructed by Huawei Marine Networks, now known as HMN Technologies, and entered service in the fourth quarter of 2013. It was built as a "lit dark fiber" upgrade, activating pre-existing dark fiber with 2×100G Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) equipment rather than deploying entirely new infrastructure.

The project received environmental approval from Mexico's SEMARNAT in December 2007. With an estimated construction cost of approximately USD 8 million, the LCMSSCS is one of the most cost-effective submarine cable systems of its kind. Its design life extends to 2038, ensuring long-term support for the regions it connects. The cable's development reflects Mexico's commitment to strengthening its domestic telecommunications infrastructure, particularly in areas vulnerable to natural disasters.

What Our Measurements Show

Our monitoring of the Lazaro Cardenas-Manzanillo Santiago Submarine Cable System reveals performance metrics across 19 measured corridors. The cable achieves a best round-trip time (RTT) of 1 millisecond, with an average RTT of 154 milliseconds. These measurements indicate a reliable and efficient system for domestic data transmission along Mexico's Pacific coast.

The unrepeatered design of the LCMSSCS contributes to its operational stability, as it avoids the complexities associated with powered amplifiers on the seabed. This simplicity, combined with its strategic routing, ensures that the cable provides robust connectivity for industrial, commercial, and residential users in Michoacán, Guerrero, and Colima. The system's performance underscores its role as a critical infrastructure component in a region where reliable communication is essential for economic resilience and disaster recovery.