The Cable Poised to Supercharge Asia

Candle cable powers Asia’s next data boom with Meta and NEC driving high-speed, resilient connectivity

3 Dec 2025

A new subsea cable system is taking shape across the Pacific as technology groups move to expand the region’s digital infrastructure. The Candle network, which will connect six Asian markets, is designed to manage rising traffic from cloud computing and artificial intelligence services that have strained existing routes.

The 8,000km system will link Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Engineers have designed 24 fibre pairs for the cable, providing potential capacity of about 570 terabits per second. That would place Candle among the region’s highest-capacity links and, according to project partners, help reduce congestion in one of the world’s busiest data corridors. Faster cloud access and more stable connections during periods of heavy traffic are among the expected benefits.

Meta is a principal backer of the project, viewing the system as part of a broader plan to accommodate long-term growth in global data flows. NEC, the technology supplier, has said the design allows for further expansion so the cable can absorb future demand. SoftBank has also joined the consortium, adding a regional telecom presence to the effort.

Candle highlights a shift in how subsea networks are financed. Large technology companies are increasingly investing directly in long-haul cables rather than relying solely on telecommunications carriers to build and manage them. Analysts say this approach is reshaping investment patterns and accelerating upgrades as companies seek more control over the routes that support their platforms.

The project must still navigate regulatory and operational challenges. Multicountry systems require alignment on permits, landing rights and security rules, while deep-sea installation carries technical risks. Regional networks are also exposed to natural disasters and geopolitical tensions, which have previously disrupted traffic flows.

Despite these hurdles, industry groups expect continued expansion of subsea capacity as Asia’s digital usage grows. Candle is positioned to meet part of that demand while offering a template for future systems that combine global platforms with regional operators.

Completion of the network would add resilience to Asia’s data infrastructure and reinforce a trend toward larger and more diversified subsea investments in the decade ahead.