ASC Subsea Cable Fault Disrupts Connectivity Between Perth and Singapore

A major cable break in Vocus' Australia-Singapore Cable (ASC) subsea system has caused significant connectivity disruption between Perth, Australia, and Singapore, affecting both wavelength and Ethernet services while internet traffic is being rerouted through alternative paths.

The fault was first acknowledged by Vocus on Friday, September 4, and continues to cause service degradation as of Monday, September 7, according to the company's outages page. The 4,600-kilometer (2,858-mile) cable, which entered service in 2018, links Australia to Christmas Island, Jakarta, and Singapore, making it a critical piece of regional digital infrastructure.

Vocus said it detected a fault condition on the ASC impacting traffic between Perth and Singapore last Friday, leading to the unavailability of wavelength and Ethernet services. Internet traffic has since been rerouted via other network paths to minimize disruption for end users.

"The fault appears to be a subsea cable fault in Indonesian waters," the company stated, though the root cause has not yet been disclosed. Vocus confirmed it is working closely with its marine repair partner to advance repair readiness activities, including a technical review of the latest diagnostic results, confirmation of required spare materials, and coordination of necessary permits and regulatory approvals.

"Vocus is working closely with its marine repair partner to progress repair readiness activities. This includes technical review of the latest diagnostic results, confirmation of the required spare materials, and coordination of the necessary permits and regulatory approvals," the company said in its most recent update today.

Vocus said it will provide its next update on September 11. The incident underscores the fragility of submarine cable networks that underpin international connectivity across the Indo-Pacific region, where a single cable fault can have wide-ranging implications for businesses and consumers relying on cross-border data flows.

This is not the first time the ASC cable has suffered a major disruption. In 2021, a Maersk ship captain was arrested and charged after allegedly damaging the cable, though the case against the captain was later dropped. The recurring nature of such incidents highlights the ongoing challenges in protecting subsea infrastructure from both accidental and external threats.