The Unite Cable System aims to provide an alternate, low latency, high capacity transmission service path between customers in Australia with connections into South East Asia and across the Indo Pacific

The Unite Cable System (UNITE) is a planned terrestrial high-capacity cable system linking the Asia Connect Cable System in Darwin, with Adelaide, Australia (Stage 1) with future connections to Melbourne (Stage 1A), Canberra and Sydney (Stage 2)

This new system will eventually provide an alternate, low latency, high capacity transmission service path between customers in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, and Darwin with connections into South East Asia and the Indo Pacific, all delivered on a unified optical platform across the terrestrial and subsea cable systems.

The Darwin to Adelaide segment (Stage 1) includes local fibre loops in Darwin and also Adelaide.

Major planned network locations (POP’s) based on customer demand include:

  • Darwin
  • Katherine
  • Elliott
  • Tennant Creek
  • Alice Springs
  • Coober Pedy
  • Woomera
  • Tarcoola
  • Whyalla
  • Port Augusta
  • Port Pirie
  • Crystal Brook
  • Adelaide
  • Stirling
  • Mount Barker
  • Murray Bridge
  • Horsham
  • Ararat
  • Ballarat
  • Geelong
  • Melbourne
Illustrative diagram of the proposed (January 2022) Unite Cable System route.
UNITE Cable System (illustrative)

The network is will support a minimum of 40×400 Gigabit/sec wavelengths per fibre pair.

Stage 1 – Darwin to Adelaide and Stage 1A – Adelaide to Melbourne (and Ballarat to Geelong, Geelong to Melbourne) commenced works in 2023.

Stage 2 – Connections from Adelaide to Sydney, and Canberra are scheduled to commence works in 2024.

Stage 2A – Connections from Ballarat and Geelong to Bendigo/Shepparton/Wodonga/Albury/Wagga Wagga scheduled to commence works in 2025.