Asia Rewires Itself Under the Sea

NTT Data and partners back an 8,100 km, 320 Tbps intra-Asia cable, reinforcing capacity and resilience ahead of a planned 2029 launch

9 Feb 2026

At first glance, a new submarine cable linking Japan, Malaysia and Singapore looks routine. Asia has been laying fibre on the seabed for decades. Yet the scale and timing of the I-AM Cable, a $1bn project backed by NTT Data, Sumitomo Corporation and JA Mitsui Leasing, point to a quiet change in how the region moves its data.

The system will stretch roughly 8,100km and carry up to 320 terabits per second. If all goes to plan it will enter service in fiscal 2029. That seems a long way off in an industry that measures progress in months. But the long lead time is the point. The backers are betting that demand for intra-Asian data traffic will keep rising well into the next decade.

Until recently, most investment flowed into trans-Pacific and Europe–Asia routes, built to serve global cloud firms and content providers. Those links remain vital. But traffic within Asia is now growing just as fast. Companies are pushing data centres closer to users to cut latency. Consumers expect video, payments and games to work smoothly across borders. Regional cables, once seen as helpful extras, are becoming core infrastructure.

Capacity is only part of the story. Resilience matters too. Many existing systems are ageing, heavily loaded or poorly diversified. Adding a new, high-capacity route can ease congestion and reduce the impact of accidents or outages. Planning far ahead allows operators to design networks that can absorb years of growth rather than scramble to catch up.

The I-AM Cable also reflects a broader financial shift. Leasing firms and investment houses are treating submarine cables less like risky telecom bets and more like utilities. Once built and tied to large anchor customers, they can offer steady, long-term returns, akin to power grids or ports. That appeal is drawing more patient capital into a sector once dominated by telecom incumbents.

More capacity will bring more competition. Operators may be forced to upgrade older systems, add redundancy or offer more flexible services. None of this is simple. Permits are slow, environmental scrutiny is rising and coordinating multiple governments adds cost and delay.

Even so, the mood is confident. Asia’s data appetite shows little sign of shrinking, and its role in the global digital economy continues to expand. By doubling down on regional connectivity, cable builders are not just adding bandwidth. They are reshaping where Asia’s digital power flows.