Palapa Ring East

Overview

The Palapa Ring East is a 6,300-kilometer-long submarine cable system located entirely within Indonesian waters. It became operational in 2019 and forms part of Indonesia's broader Palapa Ring initiative, a national project aimed at improving telecommunications connectivity across the country's vast archipelago. The cable is owned and operated by a consortium comprising the Indonesian Government, Moratelindo, and Telekom PT SmartFren. This infrastructure is a critical component of Indonesia's efforts to bridge the digital divide between urban centers and remote regions, enhancing internet access and data transfer capabilities for millions of residents.

As a domestic cable, Palapa Ring East connects numerous islands and coastal communities, playing a pivotal role in supporting Indonesia's growing demand for digital services. It is part of a strategic effort to ensure that even the most isolated areas of the country can participate in the digital economy, fostering economic growth and social inclusion.

Route and Landings

The Palapa Ring East cable system connects 18 landing points across eastern Indonesia, linking various islands and coastal towns. The landing points include Agats, Baa, Kep. Aru, Kokar, Kota Mappi, Kupang, Manokwari, Nabire, Seba, Serwaru, Suemlaki, Supiori, Teluk, Tiakur, Timika, Tual, Waingapu, and Yapen. These locations span a vast and diverse geographic area, encompassing regions with varying levels of development and connectivity needs.

The cable traverses several seas, including the Banda Sea, Arafura Sea, and Ceram Sea, which are part of the Pacific Ocean. These waters are known for their complex underwater topography, presenting significant engineering challenges during the cable's deployment. By connecting islands such as Supiori in Papua and Timika in West Papua to more developed hubs like Kupang in East Nusa Tenggara, the cable enables the flow of data and communication across some of Indonesia's most remote areas, supporting local economies and improving access to essential services.

Ownership and History

The Palapa Ring East cable is managed by a consortium that includes the Indonesian Government, Moratelindo, and Telekom PT SmartFren. This partnership reflects a public-private collaboration aimed at addressing Indonesia's unique geographic and economic challenges. The cable is part of the larger Palapa Ring project, which is divided into three segments: West, Central, and East. The East segment specifically targets the least connected regions of the country, where infrastructure development has historically lagged behind other areas.

The project was initiated as part of Indonesia's broader digital transformation agenda, with the goal of achieving universal access to high-speed internet across the archipelago. The completion of Palapa Ring East in 2019 marked a significant milestone in this effort, as it brought connectivity to some of the most remote and underserved regions in the country. The cable's implementation underscores the Indonesian Government's commitment to fostering equitable development and reducing regional disparities in access to digital technology.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of the Palapa Ring East cable system has provided valuable insights into its performance. The cable supports 360 measured corridors, with the best round-trip time (RTT) recorded at 52 milliseconds and an average RTT of 266 milliseconds. These metrics indicate that while the cable provides reasonable latency for domestic communications, the performance may vary depending on the specific route and geographic conditions.

The relatively high average RTT reflects the challenges of serving a vast and geographically dispersed nation like Indonesia. Factors such as the distance between landing points, the underwater terrain, and the need to navigate through multiple seas contribute to these latency levels. Despite these challenges, the Palapa Ring East cable remains a vital asset for Indonesia's telecommunications infrastructure, enabling reliable data transfer and communication across some of the country's most remote and isolated regions.