Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) has won a contract from Southern Cross Cables Limited to supply the cable needed for the SX Tasman Express subsea cable system that will directly link Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.

A press release said that the project represents a major leap forward in digital connectivity between Australia and New Zealand. The amount of cable was not specified but the route was estimated to span approximately 2,150 km. The project will use ASN’s latest subsea technology to deliver 400 terabits of additional capacity, distributed across 16 fiber pairs. Marine installation will be led by OMS Group. It is scheduled for completion in 2028.

The new system will feature an Open Cable System architecture, ensuring compatibility with future generations of submarine line terminals and providing the flexibility needed to support evolving digital technologies. Optimized for low latency, the Tasman Express will enable next-generation digital applications, from real-time cloud services to advanced AI workloads. The design also incorporates ASN’s advanced branching unit technology, which will allow for an alternate Australian landing point if required, adding further resilience and scalability to the network.