StarHub partners with top Asian carriers to build high-speed undersea cable system

The 7,200 kilometre Asia Submarine-Cable Express will link Singapore directly to Japan, the Philippines and Hong Kong.

ASE will also offer connectivity to Mainland China and other southeast Asian countries in the future.

In a statement, StarHub said the ASE will boast a total bandwidth carrying capacity in excess of 15 terabits per second and willincorporate latest 40G optical technologies. The ASE is also future-proof and has the capability to incorporate 100Gbps optical technology in the future.

The undersea cable system is set to operate by June 2012.

The new submarine cable system, which is specifically designed to avoid earthquake and typhoon-prone regions-- such as the Bashi Channel south of Taiwan-- will cover the shortest possible distance between Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan to ensure maximum reliability and minimum latency.

“The launch of ASE in East Asia will be a great complement for our strong connections into the US via the Asia-America Gateway (AAG). Together with the AAG, the ASE will well equip us to handle the next level of challenges and competition where network operators will compete on speed and reliability.

For the average consumer, the ASE is great news given the rapidly increasing popularity of video streaming, advanced multimedia applications, and gadgets like smartphones and tablets. For businesses - especially those that deal with time-critical transactions, a network that minimises latency is vital and can make or break a deal,” said StarHub’s Chief Operating Offer, Tan Tong Hai.

The ASE is being built jointly by StarHub, Japan-based NTT Communications, Philippines-based PLDT and Malaysia-based Telekom Malaysia. The total cost of construction is estimated to be about USD430 million.