Fibre network operator Cabos de Timor-Leste (CTL) and Telin – the international arm of Telkom Indonesia – signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday to explore ways to collaborate on digital infrastructure and connectivity between Timor-Leste and Indonesia.
According to a joint statement from CTL and Telin, the MoU establishes a framework for cooperation focused on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and potential initiatives for developing a bilateral submarine cable system that would boost cross-border connectivity.
Other possible areas for collaboration include submarine cable management, internet and cybersecurity development, as well as digital transformation and infrastructure growth, the statement said.
State-owned CTL was created by the Timorese government in April this year to manage the Timor-Leste South Submarine Cable (TLSSC), as well as the country’s terrestrial fibre-optic infrastructure. The 607-km TLSSC cable is the country’s first international subsea system, connecting Dili to the North-West Cable System owned by Vocus Group.
Timor Leste is already set to get two more cable landings by 2027, including the transpacific Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1) System from Inigo Networks and the Hawaiki Nui 1 subsea cable system being developed and constructed by BW Digital and Telin.
“Beyond infrastructure, CTL also carries the responsibility of investing in our people’s future. By partnering with Telin, a global player in the digital ecosystem, Timor-Leste gains a strategic partner that goes beyond connectivity,” said Miguel Maques Gonçalves Manetelu, Timor Leste’s Minister of Transport and Communications and the president of CTL’s General Board. “This MoU is a tangible step towards capacity building that empowers Timor-Leste with access, opportunity, and sustainable innovation.”
Manetelu added that the Telin MoU is also aligned with Timor-Leste’s growing role in Southeast Asia after officially becoming a member of the ASEAN bloc on Sunday, as it looks to contribute to stronger digital integration within the region.
Telin CEO Budi Satria Dharma Purba added that the MoU serves as a strategic foundation for long-term cooperation between Timor Leste and Indonesia. “This partnership represents a joint effort to create a broader impact — connecting nations, empowering people, and accelerating digital transformation across the region,” he said.
CTL’s deal with Telin is the second telecoms-related MoU for Timor Leste this past week, following an MoU signed on Saturday with the Malaysian government to cooperate on telecoms infrastructure projects. Earlier this month, data roaming services were activated between the two countries.
