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Talanoa in Tonga to safeguard subsea cable connectivity – Read more
The Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre (CCRC) travelled to Tonga in February 2026 to participate in a Talanoa supporting the development of a regulatory framework to safeguard Tonga’s subsea telecommunications cables and ensure reliable connectivity for communities, businesses, and government.The Talanoa was held in partnership with the Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications, and brought together representatives from across the Tongan Government, cable operators, and ocean management agencies.Discussions focused on local perspectives on risks to Tonga’s subsea cable infrastructure and explored practical and legislative measures to establish cable protection zones and supporting regulations. Participants also considered how such a framework could align with Tonga’s broader ocean management priorities while reflecting international best practice.Insights from the Talanoa will inform the development of policy, legislative, and regulatory arrangements for cable protection, in collaboration with the relevant government agencies and community groups.The CCRC looks forward to continuing its partnership with Tonga to advance these priorities and support resilient digital connectivity across the Pacific.
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Philippines progresses subsea cable protection – Read more
A workshop in the Philippines has marked a significant milestone in regulatory reform for subsea telecommunications cables and set the stage for the next phase of work. Hosted by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Cable Connectivity and Resilience Centre (CCRC) in November 2025, the workshop looked at proposed reforms to strengthen the protection of the Philippines’ subsea telecommunications cables and simplify permitting processes for the installation and repair of cables to support the country’s growing connectivity needs. These proposed reforms build on analysis conducted through the Australian Government’s Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) program, which examined the Philippines’ subsea cable ecosystem, regulatory environment, and future market potential. Over the past year, CCRC has worked with DICT on guidance to implement a framework for the management and protection of subsea telecommunication cables in the Philippines. The DICT has progressed a regulatory pathway for submarine cable management, shared key analysis with the Office of the President, and initiated steps to establish a dedicated sub-committee on submarine cables within the National Maritime Council. Through this work, internal capacity across DICT has been strengthened, with staff now better equipped to implement and advocate for reforms across government. This work has helped position the Philippines as a regional leader on subsea cable resilience, aligning closely with ASEAN’s digital connectivity agenda as the country prepares to assume the ASEAN Chair in January 2026.The workshop marks another step in strengthening collaboration between Australia and the Philippines to enhance digital connectivity, resilience, and economic opportunity through well-coordinated infrastructure policy reform.
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