NEC to build AUG East cable linking Singapore, Japan and SEA

Details: John Tanner; Category: Optical & Fixed Networks; 17 July 2025; 3504 views

NEC said on Wednesday it has signed a contract with a consortium led by Singtel to build a new intra-Asian subsea cable system linking Singapore and Japan with Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan.

NEC said the Asia United Gateway East (AUG East) will span 8,900 km and support demand for more bandwidth across that route, as well as add resiliency.

In addition to Singtel, the consortium backing AUG East includes Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Arteria Networks, Chunghwa Telecom, Dreamline, Globe Telecom, Telekom Malaysia and Unified National Networks.

NEC didn’t give details on how much capacity AUG East will support, but said it will be “a high-count fibre pair system delivering unprecedented bandwidth capacity”.

NEC also noted that AUG East will be designed to support demand for AI-driven traffic, citing a recent report from Omdia that forecasts global network traffic from AI applications and AI-enhanced applications to exceed conventional application traffic by 2031.

That demand will be especially intense in Asia-Pacific as regional organisations lead the world in terms of their willingness to invest in digital and generative AI, according to another recent report from BCG.

“With the surge in demand for high-speed connectivity and bandwidth needed for AI innovation in the region, the development of resilient, high-capacity digital infrastructure is more important than ever,” said Alan Tan, chairperson of the Asia United Gateway Cable Management Committee and director of submarine cable planning at Singtel. “This investment will play a critical role in advancing digital inclusion and catalysing economic growth across the region.”

The AUG East system is targeted for completion by the third quarter of 2029.