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/b> Thanks to our sponsors We extend our sincere thanks to ACS, APTelecom, Fígoli Consulting, Hexatronic, and WFN Strategies for supporting the 2026 Industry Report and helping make this annual publication possible. https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/L81948_Sponsor-ACS-9708add1.png ACS https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/L81955_Sponsor-APTelecom-a6cc3b15.png APTelecom https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/L81964_Sponsor-Figoli-Consulting-7e47fba4.png Fígoli Consulting https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/L81971_Sponsor-Hexatronic-26b912af.png Hexatronic https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/L81979_Sponsor-WFN-Strategies-d4b99e4b.png WFN Strategies The post Submarine Telecoms Industry Report 2026–2027 – OUT NOW! appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum Submarine Telecoms Industry Report 2026–2027 – OUT NOW! Submarine Telecoms Industry Report 2026–2027 – OUT NOW! SubTel Forum Press Release October 29, 2026 What’s Inside https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/industry-report-15-cover.png SubTel Forum is proud to announce the release of the 2026–2027 Submarine Telecoms Industry Report, Issue 15, bringing together the data, analysis, and industry perspectives behind the networks that connect the world. This year’s edition examines submarine cable development through the relationships that make delivery possible: investment, capacity, suppliers, marine resources, landing infrastructure, regulation, and long-term operation. The report features a Foreword by Doreen Bogdan-Martin, Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, addressing international cooperation, connectivity, and submarine cable resilience. As SubTel Forum marks 25 years of publication, the 2026 edition looks at how the industry’s ambitions translate into practical decisions about financing, engineering, project delivery, and maintaining dependable global communications. From industry sentiment and regional development to hyperscaler participation and data center expansion, the report connects market trends with the conditions shaping new systems. It considers artificial intelligence and cloud demand alongside permitting requirements, fleet availability, supply chains, and the operating responsibilities that continue throughout a cable system’s life. READ ISSUE NOW Key Highlights * Global overview and industry sentiment: Survey findings, system growth, asset age, renewal planning, and the commercial and survey milestones behind the forward pipeline. * Capacity and commercial take-up: Analysis that distinguishes reported system design capacity, lit capacity, and commercial demand, helping readers interpret the different measures behind headline growth. * Ownership, financing, and delivery: Historical and current financing patterns, regional investment, and a conditional assessment of the path from planned projects to delivery through 2030. * Suppliers, maintenance, and cable ships: System suppliers, installers, and surveyors; maintenance arrangements and documented repair experience; and the vessels and future fleet resources serving the sector. * Hyperscalers, data centers, and special markets: Hyperscaler involvement, data center expansion, unrepeatered systems, offshore energy connectivity, and subsea sustainability. * Technology and regulation: Multi-core fiber and high-capacity transmission developments, system integration, cable resilience, permitting, and the legal and business environment. * Regional analysis: Current systems, planned development, and regional outlooks across the Americas, AustralAsia, EMEA, Indian Ocean, Polar, Transatlantic, and Transpacific markets. About the Report The Submarine Telecoms Industry Report is SubTel Forum’s annual analysis of the submarine cable market. Designed for industry professionals, investors, policymakers, and network operators, it combines global and regional perspectives with technical, commercial, and operational analysis. The 2026 edition presents findings within their reporting periods and evidence limits, preserving the distinction between recorded project information, operational milestones, and forward-looking assessments. About Submarine Telecoms Forum Submarine Telecoms Forum, Inc. provides news, publications, data, and analysis for the global submarine telecommunications community. Its publication portfolio includes SubTel Forum Magazine, the Submarine Cable Almanac, and the Submarine Telecoms Industry Report, supporting informed discussion of the systems, technology, and people behind global connectivity. READ ISSUE NOW<[...]

Submarine Telecoms Forum PTCL Warns of AAE-1 Repair-Related Slowdown PTCL Warns of AAE-1 Repair-Related Slowdown https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/aae1-repair-istock-1672075817-500x333-1-400x266.jpg Mian Nadeem, Pakistan Point News October 28, 2026 Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited has warned that internet users in Pakistan may experience slower speeds during peak hours while emergency repairs are carried out on the AAE-1 international submarine cable. In its October 28, 2026, announcement, PTCL said work had begun on the section between Italy and France and described the potential service decline as minor, particularly during busy periods. The company’s advisory extends through November 2, 2026, and asks users for patience and cooperation while the repair work is underway. AAE-1, or Asia-Africa-Europe 1, is a 25,000-kilometer consortium cable connecting Southeast Asia to Europe via Egypt. Its route includes Pakistan, Italy, and France, with the Pakistani landing at Karachi. The system also connects major carrier-neutral points of presence, including Marseille. The official AAE-1 system page lists an original minimum design capacity of 40 Tbps. That figure describes the system’s original design specification, not the capacity currently available during the repair window or the amount of traffic affected by the work. The announcement is significant for Pakistan because AAE-1 is one of the country’s most important routes for international internet traffic. Its European connections include landing points in Greece, Italy, and France, placing the repair location on the European portion of a system serving Pakistan. According to the source report, customers could notice effects most clearly during the evening traffic peak, especially for European-hosted websites and services. The advisory therefore connects a repair on the cable’s European section with a potential change in the experience of users in Pakistan, without quantifying that change. The confirmed operational status is that repair work has begun, with PTCL warning of possible peak-hour slowdowns through the stated window. November 2 is the expected end of that repair window, not a confirmed completion date. The announcement does not establish that repairs will be finished or normal service conditions restored on that day. For now, PTCL’s guidance remains a notice of possible temporary service degradation during the work, rather than a report that the cable repair has been completed. View source The post PTCL Warns of AAE-1 Repair-Related Slowdown appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum LS Marine, SK Broadband Strengthen SJC2 Repairs LS Marine, SK Broadband Strengthen SJC2 Repairs https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/sjc2-repair-readiness-istock-1452928849-500x333-1-400x266.jpg LS Cable & System Newsroom October 28, 2026 LS Marine Solution announced on October 28 that it had signed a memorandum of understanding with SK Broadband to coordinate emergency repairs for the SJC2 international submarine telecommunications cable system. The agreement focuses on repair preparedness along the shallow coastal waters off Busan, South Korea. SJC2, short for Southeast Asia–Japan Cable 2, stretches approximately 10,500 kilometers and connects seven Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan, and Singapore. LS Marine Solution previously participated in cable laying and burial work for the system in 2022. The companies are establishing a response arrangement for potential faults in Busan’s shallow-water sections, where vessel traffic is heavy and large cable ships have difficulty gaining access. Their responsibilities are divided between offshore repair work and network support. LS Marine Solution would use specialized vessels and its installation expertise to recover the cable from the seabed, join cable sections, and bury the cable again. SK Broadband would handle network monitoring, analysis to locate the fault, and the provision of repair materials. The arrangement is intended to support a rapid response if a fault occurs. For LS Marine Solution, the agreement broadens its cooperation with telecommunications operators while supporting expansion of its submarine cable maintenance business. It also offers an opportunity to increase utilization of its specialized cable vessel, Segyero. The company currently assigns the vessel to maintenance work in the Asia-Pacific region’s Yokohama Zone for about six months each year. Through the new agreement, it plans to expand operations during the remaining period, improving vessel operating efficiency and opening additional revenue opportunities. These are commercial objectives described in the announcement, rather than confirmed additional vessel assignments or revenue. The agreement builds on roughly 30 years of international submarine cable installation and maintenance experience at LS Marine Solution. The company has also been expanding its infrastructure business, including securing the JAKO South Korea–Japan cable project with LS Cable & System, with Microsoft and Amazon Web Services among the participants. For SJC2, the confirmed status is a signed preparedness agreement and plans to establish the emergency response framework. The announcement does not report an active outage, a repair deployment, or a completed repair, and it provides no timetable for putting the arrangement into operation. View source The post LS Marine, SK Broadband Strengthen SJC2 Repairs appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum FCC Clears GCI’s Quintillion Acquisition FCC Clears GCI’s Quintillion Acquisition https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/quintillion-utqiagvik-istock-1264325114-400x266.jpg Office of International Affairs, Federal Communications Commission October 20, 2026 The Federal Communications Commission has approved, subject to conditions, GCI Holdings LLC’s proposed acquisition of indirect control of Quintillion Subsea Operations, clearing a regulatory step for the $310 million transaction. In an order released October 20, 2026, the FCC’s Office of International Affairs authorized the transfer of control of Quintillion’s cable landing license from Q Gateway Ultimate Holdings LLC and denied Alaska Communications Systems Holding’s petition to deny. The approval includes pricing and access safeguards aimed at addressing competitive concerns in Alaska’s wholesale connectivity market. Quintillion’s 1,176 mile submarine system connects Prudhoe Bay, Utqiagvik/Barrow, Wainwright, Point Hope, Kotzebue, and Nome, with access to the Lower 48 through leased capacity. The network has six cable landing station sites and three fiber pairs, each with an initial design capacity of 10 Tbps. Two pairs are active across the network and provide redundancy; one remains available for future demand. Under the purchase agreement, GCI would acquire all interests in Quintillion’s intermediate holding company, with the price subject to adjustments. GCI will also reimburse up to $50 million in qualifying capital spending for Nome to Homer Express, with additional earnouts possible if financial targets are met. For Alaska’s submarine cable industry, the decision balances potential network efficiencies against the risks of greater concentration. GCI’s subsidiaries already operate seven submarine cable systems serving Alaska, and the FCC recognized possible upward pricing pressure from combining Alaska’s largest communications provider with Quintillion’s northern and western network. The conditions require GCI to honor and extend contracts and pricing tables in effect at closing for the system’s life, subject to limited inflation adjustments. On the rural Quintillion system and in communities where the companies’ middle-mile networks overlap, GCI must give wholesale customers access on rates and terms that are just, reasonable, and not unreasonably discriminatory. Certain wholesale and enterprise contracts must be submitted for FCC monitoring. The FCC credited potential benefits including support for completing pending projects such as Nome to Homer Express, three planned self-healing fiber rings, and proposed gateway upgrades from 10 Gbps to 100 Gbps. Those improvements remain forward-looking, not completed milestones. Quintillion Subsea would retain ownership of the physical cable segments and landing stations, and the applicants did not expect immediate network configuration or landing arrangement changes. The order became effective upon release, with petitions for reconsideration or applications for review permitted within 30 days. The grant also requires continued compliance with Quintillion’s 2024 National Security Agreement; regulatory approval does not establish that the acquisition has closed. View source The post FCC Clears GCI’s Quintillion Acquisition appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum MViSTA Cable Tender Links Four Southeast Asian Markets MViSTA Cable Tender Links Four Southeast Asian Markets https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/mvista-southeast-asia-istock-835932454-400x266.jpg Francesco Guarascio, Reuters via Baird Maritime October 23, 2026 Developers of the MViSTA undersea data cable have moved the project into active supplier selection for a system linking Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand. A project executive told Reuters that NEC and Alcatel Submarine Networks are the remaining candidates, with a decision expected later in October 2026. That makes the tender a concrete procurement milestone, but not a contract award. The project's stated service target remains late 2028. The proposed design covers approximately 2,500 kilometers and 16 fiber pairs, with an estimated project cost of about US$400 million. Vietnam's Stavian, Tokyo-based Midas Capital and LitUp Network are identified as shareholders. LitUp Network, an OMS Group subsidiary, is expected to install the cable. Those details place MViSTA beyond an early route concept by identifying its planned scale, investment level, ownership group and installation responsibility, even though the supplier contract has not yet been awarded. MViSTA would give the four participating Southeast Asian markets another direct regional connection. The development is particularly relevant to Vietnam, which plans to increase its international submarine cable connections from six to at least 15 by 2030. The project executive also said Vietnam had accelerated approval procedures. Procurement and route choices carry an additional strategic dimension: Chinese suppliers were excluded from the tender, and the planned path avoids waters claimed by Beijing in the South China Sea. Those decisions are confirmed project parameters, not evidence of an operational security event. The current status is therefore an open supply tender with a short list of two companies. The reporting does not announce a winner, a construction start, individual fiber-pair capacity or a confirmed ready-for-service date. The next stated milestone is the supplier decision expected later in October. After that decision, the late-2028 service goal will remain the project's principal public schedule marker. Until a contract award is announced, MViSTA should be viewed as an advancing regional cable project whose technical scope and ownership are defined, while its main system supplier is still unresolved. View source The post MViSTA Cable Tender Links Four Southeast Asian Markets appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum GlobalConnect Plans Baltic Cable Link GlobalConnect Plans Baltic Cable Link https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/globalconnect-saaremaa-istock-2252219153-400x266.jpg Marko Tooming, ERR News October 21, 2026 GlobalConnect AB is preparing a new fiber-optic connection linking Sweden, Estonia and Finland, with seabed surveys near Saaremaa the next reported field activity. According to ERR News, the Swedish telecommunications company will develop and own the infrastructure, which is expected to enter service in 2027. The planned route runs from Gotland through Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, across mainland Estonia in the Tallinn area and onward to Helsinki. This is a separate project from the older Sweden-Aland-Finland cable, not an update to that route. The project combines approximately 300 kilometers of subsea cable with 250 kilometers of terrestrial fiber in Estonia. Its overland section is planned between Haapsalu and Viimsi, passing through Harju County before the connection crosses the seabed to Finland. The combination of island landings, a mainland crossing and international submarine sections makes the terrestrial route an integral part of the connection. European Union support through the Connecting Europe Facility Digital program forms part of the project's financing. Estonia is not contributing direct government funding, but has supported efforts to obtain EU assistance and coordinate implementation. The additional route is intended to strengthen regional connectivity and provide physical separation from existing links. Estonia currently has two communications connections with Sweden and six with Finland, according to the ministry information reported by ERR. Damage to Baltic subsea infrastructure has increased the importance of alternative paths that can support international communications when other cables are disrupted. The project is also intended to accommodate growing data demand, although no specific transmission capacity was disclosed. The ministry did not confirm whether the design includes backup connections for use if the main connection fails. Estonia's Ministry of Climate has issued marine survey permits for the current development work. Applications for seabed-use rights and submarine cable construction permits remain under review by the Consumer Protection and Technical Regulatory Authority. The surveys will inform route design and a preliminary assessment of whether an environmental impact assessment is needed; no environmental determination is reported. Preparations began in 2025, and installation work is scheduled to continue into 2027. The 2027 service date remains a target, with survey work and outstanding permitting still part of the project's current development status. View source The post GlobalConnect Plans Baltic Cable Link appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum PISCES Seeks MARA Consent for Galway Landfall PISCES Seeks MARA Consent for Galway Landfall https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/pisces-galway-istock-2260507673-400x266.jpg Afloat.ie Team, Afloat.ie October 21, 2026 PISCES Cable System Limited has applied to Ireland's Maritime Area Regulatory Authority for maritime consent covering its proposed cable landfall at Ballyloughane Strand in Galway Bay. Application MAC260029 was received October 5, 2026, and remains in Applied status, not approved. The filing covers installation, operation, monitoring, maintenance, repair and eventual decommissioning. A Maritime Area Consent, or MAC, is a gateway to the planning process, not permission to build. The application therefore represents a regulatory step for the proposed international connection, rather than authorization to begin laying cable. The latest project description specifies 16 fiber pairs. From Galway, the planned route would reach Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez in France, Sopelana in Spain and Carcavelos in Portugal. The proposed system would give Ireland direct telecommunications links to three mainland European countries, diversifying its international connections. That multi-landing design also broadens the system's practical route options across western Europe. For network operators, the significance lies in the additional geographic routing options, rather than any transmission-capacity figure, which the supplied project account does not specify. Commercial development has also advanced. On October 14, Orange disclosed a PISCES joint venture involving Equitix and Irish subsea cable developer MDM, with support from the European Union's Connecting Europe Facility. Equitix Infra Ireland provides backing, with the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund serving as its anchor investor. That partnership establishes the commercial framework behind the proposed route, while the Galway application addresses a separate regulatory requirement. Neither the joint venture announcement nor the funding support constitutes consent to install the system in Irish waters. According to Orange's project update, Elettra Tlc and Orange Marine completed marine route surveys in August, while engineering and permitting remain underway. Deployment is anticipated in 2028, subject to the required approvals. The immediate position is therefore one of continued development and regulatory review, with Ballyloughane Strand identified as the proposed Irish landing location. No confirmed construction start date has been established by the application. MARA's applications and determinations register remains the reference for the filing's status and any subsequent decision. View source The post PISCES Seeks MARA Consent for Galway Landfall appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum UK Parliament Welcomes Undersea Cable White Paper UK Parliament Welcomes Undersea Cable White Paper https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/uk-undersea-cable-security-istock-2299101834-400x266.jpg Publication Staff, UK Parliament October 22, 2026 The UK Government has published a White Paper proposing a modern legal framework for protecting critical undersea infrastructure, including the telecommunications cables that carry most of the country’s international data traffic. A written ministerial statement issued on October 22 says the package is accompanied by a twelve-week public consultation. Matt Western MP, chair of Parliament’s Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy, welcomed the move and said stronger deterrence is an important part of the response to evolving threats. The proposals address both deliberate and reckless harm. They include a new criminal-penalties regime, security and resilience duties for providers of subsea telecoms cable systems and services, and a national-security power allowing the Government to require specified industry action when necessary and proportionate. The White Paper also proposes a regulatory framework for the secure deployment and operation of subsea sensing technologies. The Government says the existing principal offence dates from 1885, refers to telegraphic communications, and no longer provides an adequate deterrent for today’s infrastructure. For cable owners and operators, the significance extends beyond tougher punishment after an incident. Statutory security duties and a direction power could shape risk management, incident planning, reporting, and operational coordination across the UK cable sector. The ministerial statement says subsea telecoms cables carry approximately 99 percent of the country’s international data traffic, making their resilience important to economic activity and national security. The committee’s response also links the White Paper to recommendations it made in 2025 on deterrence, monitoring, information sharing, and enforcement. The White Paper does not itself enact the new regime. It starts a consultation that contains 72 questions and invites responses from industry, academia, civil society, and individuals. Those responses will inform the development of future legislation, including the statutory framework that Parliament’s security committee says it will scrutinize closely. The current milestone is therefore publication of detailed proposals and the opening of consultation; the next confirmed step is completion of that process before the Government develops legislation and determines the final obligations, powers, penalties, and oversight arrangements. View source The post UK Parliament Welcomes Undersea Cable White Paper appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum Auður Confirms Iceland and Scotland Landing Sites Auður Confirms Iceland and Scotland Landing Sites https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/audur-iceland-south-coast-istock-1401899697-400x266.jpg Elías Thorsson, Arctic Today October 21, 2026 Icelandic telecommunications infrastructure company Korda has selected the landing sites for Auður, its planned subsea telecommunications cable between Iceland and Scotland. The Icelandic landing will be in Meðalland, south of Kirkjubæjarklaustur on Iceland's south coast, while the Scottish landing will be at Irvine Bay on the Firth of Clyde, west of Glasgow. Reported by Arctic Today on October 21, the selections establish the locations for a project first presented in April 2026, when its exact landing sites had not yet been identified. Auður is intended to strengthen Iceland's links with Europe and add route diversity for data traffic. Beyond the subsea route, Korda plans a service delivery point in Glasgow. From that hub, it intends traffic routes to reach London, Ireland, continental Europe, and markets across the Nordic region. The confirmed landing locations give a more specific geographic outline to that connectivity plan. For the industry, the announcement brings together the proposed Iceland–Scotland cable route and its planned onward connections, while leaving the distinction between planned connectivity and an operational service clear. Delivery preparations include an active tender for onshore fiber routes from the Meðalland landing site, with construction of those routes planned to begin in summer 2027. Seabed surveys are also planned for summer 2027. Pioneer Consulting is the project's lead consultant and will oversee tenders and the selection of contractors and suppliers for survey work, manufacturing, and cable laying. These procurement and oversight arrangements describe how the project is being prepared for delivery; they do not mean that survey work, manufacturing, or cable installation has begun. The landing confirmations, onshore-route tender, and delivery planning provide new detail beyond the project concept announced in April. Auður's current milestone is site selection alongside active procurement for the Icelandic onshore routes, rather than the start of construction or service. The next scheduled field activities are the seabed surveys and the planned start of onshore-route construction in summer 2027. The cable is expected to enter service around the turn of 2029 to 2030, a future project expectation rather than a statement of current availability. View source The post Auður Confirms Iceland and Scotland Landing Sites appeared first on SubTel Forum.

Submarine Telecoms Forum Medusa Completes Benghazi Shore-End Installation Medusa Completes Benghazi Shore-End Installation https://subtelforum.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/medusa-benghazi-lighthouse-istock-1832443468-400x266.jpg Editorial Team, TechAfrica News October 20, 2026 Medusa Submarine Cable System has completed the Pre-Laid Shore End installation in Benghazi, Libya, advancing work on its planned Mediterranean network. TechAfrica News reported the completion on October 20, following the separate Benghazi arrival announcement covered earlier by SubTel Forum. The latest development marks a distinct installation milestone: teams working on the ground in Benghazi have completed the shore-end operation, moving the local works beyond the arrival stage without establishing that the connection is ready for service. A Pre-Laid Shore End, or PLSE, is put in place ahead of the main offshore connection. It runs from the landing site on land to the point at sea where later cable work will join the route. Completing this work prepares the Benghazi section for connection to the main cable. The announcement therefore concerns one physical part of the system, rather than completion of the entire cable connection. The source identifies the offshore connection as the next physical phase but gives no date for that work. The Benghazi milestone forms part of Medusa's goal of improving connectivity among North Africa, Europe, and the Middle East through a high-capacity Mediterranean network. Medusa's public system overview describes a planned network extending more than 8,700 kilometers, with 21 landing points and 24 fiber pairs per segment, at 20 Tbps per fiber pair. These are design figures for the broader network and do not establish that each segment or landing is operating. The completed Benghazi shore end is one installation milestone within that wider plan. For the submarine cable sector, the announcement distinguishes progress at an individual landing from the wider system's intended scale and connectivity role. Benghazi's PLSE completion advances the local installation sequence, while the offshore connection remains the next identified physical step. The verified current status is limited to completion of the shore end; the source provides neither a commissioning date nor a ready-for-service date for the Benghazi connection. Further reporting will therefore need to distinguish any subsequent offshore connection announcement from confirmation that service is available. View source The post Medusa Completes Benghazi Shore-End Installation appeared first on SubTel Forum.