Google's Tabua Subsea Cable Reaches Sydney, Marking Key Milestone for Pacific Connectivity
February 2, 2026
Google's strategic investment in transpacific digital infrastructure has reached a significant milestone with the successful landing of its Tabua subsea cable in Sydney, Australia. This development is a critical component of the tech giant's broader initiative to bolster network resilience and capacity across the Asia-Pacific region, which faces growing data demands from cloud computing, AI services, and international business. The cable made landfall in the Maroubra area of Sydney last week, according to company executives. This event follows the cable's initial Australian landing in Queensland in November 2025 at a cable landing station operated by data center firm NextDC. Named after a sacred Fijian whale's tooth, the Tabua cable system forms a vital new link in global connectivity, directly connecting the United States and Australia with a stop in Fiji. The project, first announced in October 2023 as part of Google's South Pacific Connect program, also involves Australian telecommunications provider Vocus as a partner. The high-capacity system is engineered with 16 fiber pairs, each designed to carry a minimum of 17 terabits per second (Tbps). Beyond Sydney, the cable's route includes landings in Los Angeles, Oahu (Hawaii), and two locations in Fiji (Natadola and Suva). Google has also commenced construction on a dedicated cable landing station in Fiji to support the project. Industry partner Trans Pacific Networks (TPN), which is leasing capacity on Tabua, has indicated it will utilize Ciena's advanced WaveLogic 6 Extreme technology on the cable to maximize performance. The completion of the Tabua cable carries substantial implications for the digital infrastructure landscape. It represents one of the first systems to link the United States to Australia beyond the traditional Sydney hub, thereby enhancing route diversity and reducing potential latency. For Australia, a nation where Sydney already serves as a landing point for over a dozen international subsea cables, this addition significantly strengthens the country's position as a major Asia-Pacific data gateway. The increased bandwidth and improved reliability are expected to support the expansion of hyperscale cloud services, facilitate cross-border data flows, and underpin future technological growth across the region. The cable is scheduled to become operational later this year.
Source: datacenterdynamics
