Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth (SMAP)

Overview

The Sydney-Melbourne-Adelaide-Perth (SMAP) submarine cable is a domestic telecommunications system designed to span approximately 5000 kilometers along Australia’s southern coastline. Scheduled to be ready for service in 2026, the SMAP cable aims to enhance digital connectivity between some of the country’s largest metropolitan areas. By linking Sydney, Melbourne (via Torquay), Adelaide and Perth, the cable will provide a robust infrastructure backbone for data transmission and communication within Australia.

As an intra-national cable, SMAP is expected to play a critical role in supporting Australia’s growing demand for high-capacity, low-latency digital networks. Its route connects key economic hubs, reinforcing the digital infrastructure necessary for industries such as finance, technology, and resource extraction, while also supporting residential and commercial internet traffic.

Route and Landings

The SMAP cable system features five landing points along Australia’s southern coastline. These are:

• Maroubra, New South Wales (NSW): A coastal suburb of Sydney, Maroubra serves as the easternmost landing point of the cable, connecting Australia’s largest city to the network.
• Torquay, Victoria (VIC): Situated near Melbourne, Torquay represents the cable’s connection to one of Australia’s most populous urban regions and a major economic center.
• Adelaide, South Australia (SA): Known for its diverse industrial base and agricultural economy, Adelaide is a key node in the SMAP system.
• Perth, Western Australia (WA): Located on Australia’s western coast, Perth is a critical hub for the resources industry and a gateway for international communications.
• Sydney, New South Wales (NSW): As the starting point of the cable, Sydney anchors the network in the nation’s financial and business capital.

The SMAP cable traverses the waters of the Great Australian Bight and the Southern Ocean, navigating a challenging marine environment to interconnect these major cities. Its route reflects the geographical and economic significance of Australia’s southern corridor, where population density and industrial activity are concentrated.

Ownership and History

The SMAP cable is owned and operated by SUBCO, a company specializing in submarine cable infrastructure. While details about the construction progress remain undisclosed, the cable is officially slated to become operational in 2026. SUBCO’s involvement underscores the growing role of private operators in developing critical telecommunications infrastructure within Australia.

The SMAP project represents a significant investment in domestic connectivity, complementing Australia’s existing international submarine cables. By focusing on intra-national links, the cable addresses the need for high-speed, reliable communication between Australia’s eastern, southern, and western coasts. Its completion will mark an important milestone in the modernization of Australia’s digital infrastructure.

What Our Measurements Show

As the SMAP cable is not yet operational, direct performance data is unavailable. However, our monitoring of similar systems in Australia suggests that the SMAP cable is likely to deliver significant improvements in latency and bandwidth for domestic data traffic. The cable’s design, spanning multiple economic hubs, will reduce reliance on terrestrial networks, which are often subject to capacity constraints and environmental vulnerabilities.

Our probes indicate that submarine cables in this region must contend with challenging seabed conditions, including shifting sediments and strong currents in the Great Australian Bight. These factors underscore the engineering complexity of the SMAP project. Once operational, the cable is expected to provide a stable and resilient connection, supporting critical applications such as cloud computing, data center interconnectivity, and real-time communication services.

By linking Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Perth, the SMAP cable will serve as a vital backbone for Australia’s digital economy, ensuring robust and scalable connectivity for years to come.