As digital era progresses, the demand for a high-speed and stable internet connection grows. While we are already familiar with the medium of internet transmission such as standard cable, fiber optics, and through satellite, one medium that is often overlooked is the undersea cable. It is expected since unlike those that are visible everywhere, undersea cables are not as noticeable since… well, they are literally laid on the seabed. Although undersea cables are not as popular as it seems, it is not a brand-new technology since it is used decades ago and it spans a long distance connecting countries and even continents. To be discussed here is one of the world’s first undersea cable system that will connect Southeast Asia directly to the United States and it is named “Bifrost”.

Bifrost Cable System

We might know Bifrost as the rainbow-colored bridge in Marvel’s Comics which is mainly based on Norse Mythology. And possibly it is the inspiration as to why this undersea cable system is also named as such since it also acts as a bridge of connectivity between Southeast Asia and the United States. Spanning almost 20,000 km, the Bifrost is an undersea cable system connecting countries in Southeast Asia (including Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, and Guam) to the west coast of the United States, and Mexico through the Pacific Ocean. This project was agreed upon last March 2021 in collaboration of the following companies: Meta (Facebook), PT. Telekomunikasi Indonesia International (Telin), Keppel Telecommunications and Transportation Limited (Keppel T&T), and Amazon (through its subsidiary AMCS LLC). The whole initial cost of the Bifrost cable system is expected to be approximately US$760 million dollars (as estimated by SubmarineNetworks.com)

With the surge in mobile device usage, 5G deployment, and cloud utilization, demands for global data and fast is higher than ever. That is why the Bifrost Cable System will be crucial for meeting these needs especially in the Asia-Pacific region where it is expected that the internet users increases from 2.1 billion in 2018 to 3.1 billion by 2023. Thomas Pang, the CEO of Keppel T&T, highlighted the importance of Bifrost in improving their connectivity business and data center operations. Mentioning also that this partnership with Facebook and Telin will sustain Singapore’s ever-increasing digital needs while also maintaining the country’s status as a digital hub.

Amazon’s Part in the Bifrost

Although it is stated that Amazon is part of the Bifrost consortium, it doesn’t own any fiber pairs directly but its investment is indirectly in one of the members. Amazon controls a cable landing station in Oregon which is managed by Astound Business Solutions. Astound is also responsible for building the Hillsboro Data Center Ring II, a large fiber network that connects up to 14 data centers and seven transpacific submarine cable systems. Also, Astound has a new project to construct a 100-mile underground fiber route along Highway 6 that will improve internet connectivity. And this project is partly funded by Amazon’s involvement in the Bifrost undersea cable system.

Bifrost Cable in the Philippines

A branch of the Bifrost Cable System will also be landing in Davao, Philippines. KMH signed a binding term agreement with one of the premiere fiber broadband providers here in the Philippines, the Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. (Converge). This agreement grants Converge the Indefeasible Right of Use (IRU) for one fiber pair on the main trunk of Bifrost and the development of a connecting branch here in Davao. This will greatly enhance the internet speeds and provide more network diversity for the users here in the Philippines. Converge will invest over $100 million (Php5 billion) for this project.

Impacts of Bifrost

The Bifrost project, originally planned to be completed in the 2nd Quarter of 2024, has been delayed. Mainly caused by bad weather and challenges in obtaining permits for the cable to land and pass through Indonesia. Also, Telin just recently started constructing the cable landing station of Bifrost in Jakarta this early June 2024. Once completed, the Bifrost will enhance the connectivity and network performance within the countries involved. Internet reliability and data transfer will be more efficient. This will help not just data users but also businesses and consumers, cloud services, content distribution, and online applications. With the improvement of technology and the world being more dependent on it, the demand for global connectivity is expanding. And with the Bifrost undersea cable system, the future of global connectivity and infrastructure is more promising than ever.

References:
https://www.submarinenetworks.com/en/systems/trans-pacific/bifrost
https://www.submarinecablemap.com/submarine-cable/bifrost
https://www.keppel.com/en/media/newsletters/feature-stories/strengthening-the-connectivity-business/
https://developingtelecoms.com/telecom-technology/optical-fixed-networks/16552-converge-ict-says-bifrost-sea-h2x-cables-may-be-delayed-to-2025.html