New undersea internet cable for Nauru, Kiribati and the Federated States of Micronesia will be funded by Australia, the US and Japan

Summary

Australia, the United States and Japan will jointly fund an undersea cable to improve Internet access for Nauru (population 10,000), Kiribati (122,000) and the Federated States of Micronesia (115,000) to both benefit local people and also counter Chinese influence.

Key points:

• High-speed Internet goes through regional hubs in Sydney, Guam or Hawaii.
• Telecommunications in the Pacific is a strategic issue for Australia and its Allies.
• Part of Australian, Japanese and the United States collaboration in the Indo-Pacific.
• Commercial fibre-optic cables provide more opportunities for spying than satellites.
• To stop Huawei, in 2016, Australia paid for most of the Coral Sea Cable, connecting Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands to Sydney.
• Access to the cable would also allow access Australia's domestic Internet infrastructure.
• Huawei is banned from Australian 5G and NBN networks.
• The cable will take about 18 months to become operational.
• Should deliver faster Internet speeds.

References

• Mar 2021 Navy LookoutThe threat to world’s communications backbone – the vulnerability of undersea cables |

• Jun 2021 Reuters EXCLUSIVE Pacific undersea cable project sinks after U.S. warns against Chinese bid

• July 2021 ABC Undersea cables bring Pacific nations online, but there are concerns China is trying to tap in

• Aug 2021 Australian Institute of International Affairs Fibre in the Coral Sea or Message in a Bottle?

• Dec 2021 VOA US, Australia and Japan to Fund Undersea Cable in the Pacific.