History of Oman Australia Cable in Timeline

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Oman Australia Cable

The Oman Australia Cable (OAC) is a 9,800 km fibre-optic submarine communications cable connecting Oman and Australia through the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. Launched in September 2022, it comprises three fibre pairs with an initial design capacity of 39 terabits per second, enhancing data transmission capabilities between the regions.

May 2015: Australia West Express Announced

In May 2015, the Australia West Express cable was announced, which had a similar route to the Oman Australia Cable, but was ultimately cancelled due to a lack of investment.

2020: OAC Cable Announced

In 2020, SUBCO announced the Oman Australia Cable project, with a target completion date in 2021.

January 2021: Manufacturing Completed

In January 2021, SubCom completed the manufacturing of the Oman Australia Cable.

July 2021: Cable Landfall in Perth

On July 22, 2021, the Oman Australia Cable made landfall in Perth. Also in 2021, the landing station infrastructure in the Cocos (Keeling) Islands was manufactured and installed.

February 2022: Diego Garcia Spur Announced to Sailors

On February 9, 2022, Captain Richard Payne, the commander of Diego Garcia, announced the existence of the Oman Australia Cable's Diego Garcia spur to sailors during a talkback radio show.

April 2022: Cable Landing in Barka, Oman

On April 28, 2022, the Oman Australia Cable's final landing occurred in Barka, Oman.

September 2022: Oman Australia Cable Enters Service

In September 2022, the Oman Australia Cable (OAC), a 9,800 km fibre-optic submarine communications cable, entered service, linking Oman and Australia via the Cocos (Keeling) Islands. It had an initial design capacity of 39 terabits per second.

September 2022: Cable Goes Live

The Oman Australia Cable went live in September 2022.

October 2022: Official Switch-On Ceremony

On October 24, 2022, the Oman Australia Cable was officially switched on by the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanese, during a ceremony in Perth.

March 2023: Cable Extension Announced

In March 2023, SUBCO announced plans to extend the Oman Australia Cable with the installation of a diverse 1,200 km spur that would land at Salalah, Oman, expected to be completed by the end of 2024.

July 2023: Diego Garcia Spur Confirmed

On July 6, 2023, the existence of the Diego Garcia spur on the Oman Australia Cable was publicly confirmed by the United States Pacific Fleet as part of a Reuters investigation into SubCom.

October 2023: Cable Capacity Upgrade by Ciena

In October 2023, Ciena upgraded the Oman Australia Cable from its original design of 39 Tbit/s to 48 Tbit/s of lit capacity.

2024: Expected Completion of Cable Extension

By the end of 2024, the 1,200 km spur extension of the Oman Australia Cable to Salalah, Oman, is expected to be completed.