Towale, Indonesia: no other cable lands within 50 km.
On an island this means losing the submarine link; on the mainland traffic can still go over land.
No alerts from our monitoring on this cable in the last 180 days. Events feed →
Counted: other international cables landing in the same country (domestic cables between points of one country are not a way out), other cables at landing points within 50 km, and whether the country has land links. Not counted: cable capacity, operator contracts and satellite. Use as a first look at dependence, not as a statement of what would happen.
Live Performance
95
measurements
7
probes
95
days monitored
299.8
ms avg RTT
0
anomalies
Monitored from 2026-07-11 through 2026-10-14 - live ICMP round-trip time measurements via our monitoring probes. All values below are recomputed daily from raw probe data. ✓ No anomalies detected in the monitored period.
Measurement sources
Probe
Location
Samples
Avg
Min-Max
Last seen
#6427 own probe
Sydney AU
34
293.3 ms
114.4-652.9
2026-10-14
#6410 own probe
Sao Paulo BR
28
406.5 ms
361.7-617.7
2026-10-14
own probe
Almaty KZ
21
275.8 ms
260.7-360.9
2026-10-03
#6487
control probe
6
31.3 ms
22.7-72.1
2026-08-20
#6568 own probe
Singapore SG
2
27.9 ms
24.0-31.8
2026-10-14
#7062 own probe
Cape Town ZA
2
261.2 ms
209.1-313.3
2026-07-12
own probe
Tbilisi GE
2
285.6 ms
247.6-323.6
2026-07-12
About the Link 2 Phase-1 Cable System
Link 2 Phase-1: Submarine Cable Connecting Sangatta and Towale
Link 2 Phase-1 is a submarine telecommunications cable connecting Sangatta and Towale, both located in Indonesia. Spanning a distance of 281 km, the cable is owned by XLSmart and has been recorded as in service since 2004 according to GeoCables' database. However, specific details regarding its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology have not been disclosed in publicly available sources, leaving certain technical aspects of the system open to speculation.
What makes Link 2 Phase-1 particularly interesting is its role within the broader Link family of systems, which includes multiple phases and segments connecting various locations. Its relatively short distance and exclusive focus on Indonesian landings suggest it may serve regional connectivity needs rather than long-haul international traffic. The lack of detailed public documentation about its technical specifications highlights the challenges in assessing the full scope of its capabilities.
Link 2 Phase-1 connects Sangatta, located in East Kalimantan on the island of Borneo, to Towale, situated in Central Sulawesi on the island of Sulawesi. This route spans the Makassar Strait, a key marine corridor between the two islands. The cable's landings on Indonesian territory suggest its primary purpose is to enhance domestic connectivity between these regions, which are separated by both geographical and infrastructural challenges.
Why it was built and what it carries
The construction of Link 2 Phase-1 appears to address the need for improved telecommunications infrastructure within Indonesia, particularly between East Kalimantan and Central Sulawesi. Both regions are significant in terms of economic activity, with East Kalimantan being a hub for mining and energy production, and Central Sulawesi playing a role in agriculture and trade. The cable likely supports internet, voice, and data services for regional businesses and communities, although the absence of publicly disclosed design capacity prevents a precise understanding of its traffic-handling capabilities.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records the cable as ready for service in 2004, and it remains listed as in service today. No alternative ready-for-service dates have been surfaced from industry sources, making 2004 the most reliable date for its operational commencement. The cable is part of a larger family of systems under XLSmart's ownership, suggesting a phased approach to expanding connectivity across Indonesia. However, specific details about its development, such as the supplier or installation process, are not publicly documented.
Capacity and technology
No information has been disclosed regarding the design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or technology of Link 2 Phase-1. Without operator documentation, attributing specific capabilities to the cable would be speculative. The cable's relatively short length and regional focus suggest it may not be designed for high-capacity international traffic, but this cannot be confirmed without further data.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation latency over the cable's 281 km length is approximately 1.4 ms, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of 2.8 ms. However, real-world latency measurements are significantly higher due to additional factors such as land tails, terminal equipment, and routing. Remote probes measuring the full internet path to Sangatta report latencies ranging from 24.3 ms (Singapore) to 402.6 ms (São Paulo). These values reflect the broader network infrastructure rather than the cable itself, which likely contributes only a small fraction of the total latency.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a fault on Link 2 Phase-1, redundancy would depend on other cables within the Link family of systems, such as Link 2 Phase-2 or other regional alternatives. Repair logistics for submarine cables typically involve specialized vessels equipped to locate and fix faults, but specific details about maintenance arrangements for this cable are not publicly available. The Makassar Strait's relatively shallow waters may simplify repair operations compared to deeper oceanic environments.
Bottom line
Link 2 Phase-1 is a 281 km submarine cable connecting Sangatta and Towale in Indonesia.
Owned by XLSmart and recorded as ready for service in 2004.
Design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
Theoretical RTT floor is approximately 2.8 ms, but real-world latency is much higher due to network factors.
Part of the larger Link family of systems, providing regional connectivity in Indonesia.