Nongsa-Changi: A Short Submarine Link Between Singapore and Indonesia
The Nongsa-Changi submarine cable connects
Nongsa in Indonesia to
Changi in Singapore, spanning a relatively short distance of 50 kilometers. It is owned by BW Digital and Telin, two companies with significant roles in the telecommunications sector. While the cable is listed as in service, the GeoCables database records its ready-for-service (RFS) date as 2026, raising questions about whether this is an operational discrepancy or an issue of documentation.
This cable is notable for its strategic placement in a high-traffic corridor between Singapore and Indonesia, two countries with deep economic and digital interdependencies. However, several technical details about the cable, including its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology, remain undisclosed in publicly available sources. This lack of transparency limits a full understanding of its capabilities and role within the broader regional network.
Quick facts
| Cable name | Nongsa-Changi |
| Length | 50 km |
| Ready-for-service date | 2026 (GeoCables database value) |
| Owners | BW Digital, Telin |
| Status | Listed as in service |
| Design capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing points | Changi (Singapore); Nongsa (Indonesia) |
Route
The Nongsa-Changi cable runs between two landing points: Changi in Singapore and Nongsa in Indonesia. Changi is a major telecommunications hub, hosting several other submarine cables, including the
Asia Link Cable (ALC),
Asia United Gateway East (AUG East),
Hawaiki Nui 1,
I-AM Cable, and
Vietnam-Singapore Cable System (VTS). Nongsa, situated on Batam Island in Indonesia, serves as a strategic location for connecting to the broader Indonesian network. The short distance of 50 kilometers makes this cable one of the shortest submarine links in the region, facilitating low-latency connectivity between these two critical points.
Why it was built and what it carries
The Nongsa-Changi cable was likely built to strengthen connectivity between Singapore and Indonesia, two countries with extensive economic and digital ties. Singapore serves as a regional data hub, while Indonesia, with its large population and growing digital economy, relies on strong international connectivity. This cable likely supports enterprise-level data traffic, internet services, and perhaps cloud computing applications. However, without disclosed design capacity or fiber pair data, the specific scale and scope of its operations remain unclear.
History: what can be established
The GeoCables database lists the Nongsa-Changi cable as ready for service in 2026, yet it is also described as currently in service. This discrepancy could stem from several factors, such as the cable being operational in a limited capacity before its official RFS date, or errors in documentation. Industry sources do not appear to provide alternative dates, so the GeoCables record remains the most authoritative available.
Capacity and technology
Public information does not disclose the design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or specific technology used in the Nongsa-Changi cable. These omissions make it impossible to evaluate its performance or compare it directly to other cables in the region. Such details are typically critical for understanding the cable's role in regional and global networks, but attributing values without operator documentation would be speculative.
Latency: the physics
The theoretical one-way light propagation latency over the 50-kilometer wet segment is approximately 0.2 milliseconds, with a round-trip time (RTT) floor of about 0.5 milliseconds. These values represent the absolute minimum latency achievable under ideal conditions, assuming light travels through fiber at speeds between 200,000 and 204,000 kilometers per second. However, real-world latency will be higher due to additional factors such as land-based tails, terminal equipment processing, and routing inefficiencies. No live measurements for this cable are currently available, so its actual performance remains unverified.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
In the event of a failure, redundancy for the Nongsa-Changi cable would likely rely on other cables landing at Changi and Nongsa. At Changi, alternative cables include the Asia Link Cable (ALC), Asia United Gateway East (AUG East), Hawaiki Nui 1, I-AM Cable, and Vietnam-Singapore Cable System (VTS). At Nongsa, the
Barat Timur Indonesia-1 (BTI-1) cable could serve as an alternative. Repair logistics would follow standard industry practices, involving cable ships equipped with specialized tools for locating and fixing faults. Given the short length of the cable, repairs might be relatively straightforward compared to longer transoceanic systems.
Bottom line
- The Nongsa-Changi cable spans 50 kilometers, connecting Nongsa in Indonesia to Changi in Singapore.
- Owned by BW Digital and Telin, it is listed as in service, though its RFS date is recorded as 2026 in GeoCables data.
- Key technical details such as design capacity, fiber pairs, supplier, and technology are not publicly disclosed.
- Theoretical latency over the wet segment is approximately 0.2 ms one-way, with real-world RTT expected to be higher.
- Redundancy options exist through other cables landing at Changi and Nongsa.