Datagrid New Zealand contracts Alcatel and OMS for Tasman Ring submarine link to Melbourne

Datagrid New Zealand has signed supply and installation contracts with Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and Malaysia‑based OMS Group to build the Tasman Ring submarine cable. The 2,300‑km optical system will run between Invercargill in New Zealand’s South Island and Melbourne, Australia, using at least eight fibre pairs and providing a design capacity of 160 terabits per second.

The link is intended to improve latency for South Island universities, research centres and IT companies by up to 45 % compared with routes that cross the North Island, and to add a fully independent gateway for New Zealand’s international connectivity. OMS will conduct the marine survey with its long‑range unmanned surface vessel, reducing fuel use and carbon emissions. The cable is slated for service readiness around 2029.