Spark New Zealand, Vodafone and Telstra has confirmed they are planning to build a new 2,300km submarine cable between New Zealand and Australia. The TGA Cable deployment will start in early 2015. Spark, Vodafone and Telstra plan to invest around USD 70 million on the new Tasman Global Access (TGA) Cable. Alcatel-Lucent has been selected as the cable laying contractor after a tender process, and the TGA Cable is expected to be built and start providing data traffic by mid-2016.
Spark New Zealand and Vodafone’s trans-Tasman internet traffic has increased from 10 percent of total international traffic in 2000 to 40 percent today. Trans-Pacific traffic has declined from 90 percent of all traffic in 2000 to 60 percent today, illustrating the shift. New Zealand’s international capacity requirements are growing 60 percent year-on-year.
Raglan, on New Zealand’s West Coast, has been selected as the New Zealand landing station for the TGA Cable. Oxford Falls, Sydney, is the Australian landing station, provided by Telstra.
