Indosat Ooredoo, Inligo Networks to build new ACC-1 fibre network

Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Inligo Networks have signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to build a high-capacity fiber-optic telecommunication submarine cable system, Inligo Networks Asia Connect Cable System or ACC-1.

By having this MoU, Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison and Inligo Network agreed to discuss further for final partnership agreement to build ACC-1, Indosat said in a statement.

The partnership will support Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison's vision to become the most preferred digital telco of Indonesia by developing a new low-latency and high-capacity data network through fiber optic cables,

It will connect multiple Indonesian cities to Australia, Guam, Singapore, and the United States through Indonesian waters on the 18,000 km system, the companys said.

Indosat said the partnership comes as Indonesia accelerates its digital transformation efforts, including achieving ‘Indonesia Merdeka Sinyal 4G’ by the end of 2022, where 4G services will be available in all regions across Indonesia, including in the 3T areas, while expanding 5G networks as the foundation for future solutions.

The construction of the ACC-1, which will provide up to a 128 Tbps network throughout the system, will allow Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison to provide a broader network, especially for eastern Indonesia, it said.

Chief Technology Officer of Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison, Desmond Cheung, said, “This partnership allows Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison to be an exclusive partner for the Inligo Submarine network, providing high-capacity connectivity within Indonesia and the rest of the Pacific region.

“The partnership is also in line with our long-term commitment in accelerating Indonesia’s digital transformation agenda as we believe it must be underpinned by a sophisticated submarine cable system like the ACC-1.”

Chief Executive Officer of Inligo Networks, Brian Evans, said, “Our collaboration with Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison will drive better connectivity and functionality within Indonesia, across Southeast Asia, and the Pacific region.

“As a submarine cable network plays a vital part in connecting the Indonesian archipelagos, the partnership will increase data traffic, facilitate data transfer, internet access, and cloud storage which now become an integral part of increasingly digital society and digital nations.”

The Inligo Networks ACC-1 mega project will begin construction in 2022, with the first route connecting Singapore, Batam, and Jakarta.

In mid-2023, subsea telecommunications cables will be constructed from Medan, Makassar, Kupang, Dili (Timor Leste) to Darwin (Australia), followed by the construction from Manado to Guam by the end of 2023.

The project is expected to be completed in 2024, connecting Guam to Los Angeles (United States), and fully connecting Southeast Asia, Australia, the Pacific, and the United States, Indosat said.