Pacific Subsea Cables Highlight a Shift in Digital Strategy

Australia and Google back new subsea cables in PNG, a move analysts say could boost reliability and resilience through public-private collaboration

15 Dec 2025

A new round of undersea cable projects is changing how policymakers assess the Pacific’s digital future, with Australia’s decision to invest about $120mn in subsea links for Papua New Guinea seen as more than routine infrastructure spending.

The project, delivered by Google, will add three new subsea cables connecting different parts of Papua New Guinea and strengthening links to regional networks. For a country that has relied on a small number of vulnerable connections, the upgrade is expected to improve capacity and resilience.

Analysts say greater redundancy should translate into faster speeds, fewer outages and a more stable base for business activity, public services and everyday online use. Papua New Guinea’s existing digital infrastructure has long been constrained by geography and underinvestment, limiting the reliability of internet access.

Australian officials have described the cables as essential infrastructure, placing them alongside roads and power grids. In public remarks, they have argued that dependable digital links are critical for long-term development and national resilience.

Media coverage has also framed the investment in a broader strategic context, noting increased competition in the region over who builds and controls digital backbones. While these considerations are not always explicit in project documents, they have shaped how the initiative is interpreted by policymakers and analysts.

Google’s involvement reflects a wider shift in the telecommunications industry. Large technology companies, once primarily consumers of global bandwidth, are increasingly financing and building the networks that carry it. Telecom analysts say this brings technical expertise and scale that can accelerate deployment and improve quality, particularly in emerging markets where traditional operators have struggled to keep pace with demand.

The implications extend beyond Papua New Guinea. Across the Asia-Pacific, governments are paying closer attention to subsea routes that underpin cloud computing, streaming, remote work and other digital services. Public funding combined with private-sector know-how is increasingly seen as a practical model for closing persistent connectivity gaps.

Challenges remain, including the expansion of inland networks, long-term governance and ensuring fair access for local operators. Even so, analysts say the Papua New Guinea cables offer a clear signal of how future partnerships may support resilience, economic growth and deeper integration into the global digital economy.