Google has announced an expansion of its $1 billion undersea cable project, connecting Darwin and Singapore via Christmas Island with the ‘Bosun’ subsea cable.
The Bosun undersea telecommunications cable — named after the white-tailed tropicbird found on Christmas Island and the nautical term for a ship’s deckhand — is part of the Pacific Connect project, which seeks to boost the reliability and resilience of Australia’s internet connectivity.
This project also includes an interlink cable connecting Melbourne, Perth and Christmas Island to the Homomoana cable system, which links the US and Asia.
The initiative aims to bolster Australia’s digital infrastructure, providing enhanced reliability and resilience for internet connectivity and creating new pathways between the United States and Asia.
Communications Minister Michelle Rowland commended the investment, emphasising its role in strengthening Australia’s digital connectivity through diversified routes. She noted the alignment with federal efforts to ensure secure and resilient Pacific connectivity.
Google Cloud vice-president Brian Quigley highlighted Bosun’s contribution to digital pathways in the Indo-Pacific.
“Bosun and the interlink cable will enhance the reliability and resilience of the internet within the country and throughout the region,” he said.
The project reflects the critical role of seabed infrastructure in national security, as highlighted by recent incidents such as the severed cable between Finland and Germany that sparked concerns about intentional sabotage.
In partnership with NextDC, SUBCO, Vocus and government stakeholders, the project will also connect Darwin to the Sunshine Coast via terrestrial fibre, linking Bosun to the Tabua subsea cable system, which spans the US, Australia and Fiji.
NextDC chief executive Craig Scroggie called submarine cables “unseen lifelines” vital to Australia’s global connectivity, while Vocus interim chief executive Jarrod Nink described the project as a strategic gateway between Asia and the US.