Frequently asked questions
About the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre
What is the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre?
The Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre (the Centre) is an Australian Government initiative embedded within the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). Foreign Minister Penny Wong officially launched the Centre in July 2024. The Centre works with governments and industry across the Indo-Pacific to strengthen the development, protection and management of undersea telecommunications cables.
The Centre draws on Australia’s expertise in cable protection, regulation and management. It builds on major investments in Pacific telecommunications cable infrastructure through the Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific (AIFFP), and on regulatory and policy support in Southeast Asia through the Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) program. It also represents a key contribution to the Quad Partnership for Cable Connectivity and Resilience, announced at the Quad Leaders’ Summit in 2023.
Undersea cables are the backbone of global internet connectivity, carrying almost all international data traffic. They connect people, communities and economies but remain vulnerable to damage and disruption.
As demand for data continues to soar, with more people online and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, there is a growing need to ensure that cable infrastructure is resilient and protected. Getting the policy and regulatory settings right is critical, and every country faces different challenges.
The Australian Government established the Centre to help address this regional priority. Working alongside partners across the Indo-Pacific, the Centre supports countries with policy and regulatory assistance to strengthen the management and protection of cable networks, ensuring they are secure, resilient and able to meet current and future demand.
The Centre works across three main areas: delivering demand-driven technical assistance and policy support to regional governments, commissioning research and analysis, and promoting best practice and multi-stakeholder collaboration through dialogues, events and regional forums. The Centre also delivers tailored training on cable planning, protection, legal frameworks and operational best practice as part of its support to regional governments.
The Centre collaborates with governments, industry, regional and multilateral organisations, academia, think tanks and civil society across the Indo-Pacific, including the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia and South Asia. The Centre works with a range of partners to provide practical, high-quality support that responds to the needs and priorities of countries.
The Centre does not operate a grants program but may commission research through external institutions or industry experts.
The Centre does not build or fund cables. Its focus is on strengthening the enabling environment for undersea cables by providing policy and regulatory support to governments, undertaking research and promoting best practice.
Please contact the Centre directly via the online contact form or through your nearest Australian Embassy or High Commission.
About undersea telecommunication cables
Undersea telecommunications cables are fibre optic cables laid on the ocean floor that carry internet, phone and data traffic between countries and continents. A single cable can stretch for thousands of kilometres across oceans, linking nations together. Despite their importance, they are only about the thickness of a garden hose. Inside are bundles of ultra-thin glass fibres, each thinner than human hair, that transmit data as light signals. These fibres are wrapped in multiple protective layers of plastic, insulation and steel to withstand seawater, pressure and accidental damage from fishing gear or anchors.
Data travels through the glass fibres as pulses of light, encoded with information much like digital Morse code. The signals move at close to the speed of light, and repeaters placed every 50 to 100 kilometres boost the signal so it can travel reliably across oceans. At landing stations on shore, the light is converted back into electronic data and fed into national networks for use on phones, computers and other devices.
Undersea cables carry almost all international data traffic because they can transmit far more information, at higher speed and lower cost, than satellites. This connectivity underpins secure financial transactions, government operations, global trade and innovation, while keeping families and communities connected through calls, streaming and online services. In times of crisis, cables are a lifeline for emergency services and disaster response.
Damage to them can disrupt internet, phone and data services on a national or regional scale. Most damage occurs in shallow waters from fishing gear and ship anchors, but cables can also be affected by natural hazards such as storms, landslides or volcanic eruptions, and are vulnerable to cyber threats.
For more information on undersea telecommunications cables and how the Australian Government is supporting projects throughout the Indo-Pacific, explore the following resources and partnerships. These links provide insights into regional initiatives, research, and collaboration across government, industry, and international partners.
Australian Communications and Media Authority – ACMA
Australian Infrastructure Financing Facility for the Pacific – AIFFP