AWS to be anchor customer for Hawaiki cable
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In March, the Hawaiki cable project announced its contract with TE Subcom had come into force. They had raised the necessary funds to kick off the construction phase, and yesterday we learned where some of those funds came from.
Amazon’s AWS division has stepped up for a large chunk of capacity on the system, becoming a high profile anchor customer on a submarine cable system for the first time.
The Hawaiki cable is the latest project aimed at hooking up Australia and New Zealand directly with the west coast of the USA, stopping in Hawaii and branching off to American Samoa with options to reach several more.
It’s a route dominated today by the longstanding Southern Cross cable system, and one on which we have seen several failed attempts to build an alternative – especially by partisans on the New Zealand side. This is the first time the money has finally added up though. As currently planned, the cable will stretch 14,000km and deliver as much as 30Tbps of capacity.
Amazon AWS joins Vodafone, REANZ, and American Samoa Telecom as anchor customers. It’s Amazon’s first foray into the world of submarine cable systems, but surely not its last.
The cloud giant is merely joining its tech brethren like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft in taking an active role in the underlying infrastructure they all depend on, taking up some of the slack as global telecommunications operators themselves continue to shy away from undersea investments in favor of wireless and terrestrial fiber.
Questions & Answers
Q.What is the primary purpose of the Hawaiki cable project?
What is the primary purpose of the Hawaiki cable project?
The Hawaiki cable project aims to connect Australia and New Zealand directly with the west coast of the USA. It includes stops in Hawaii and branches off to American Samoa, with options to reach other locations.
Q.How does the Hawaiki cable compare in length and capacity to other systems?
How does the Hawaiki cable compare in length and capacity to other systems?
As planned, the Hawaiki cable will span 14,000km and is designed to deliver up to 30 terabits per second of capacity. The article does not compare it to other systems directly.
Q.Which other companies are anchor customers for the Hawaiki cable system?
Which other companies are anchor customers for the Hawaiki cable system?
Besides Amazon AWS, Vodafone, REANZ, and American Samoa Telecom are also anchor customers for the Hawaiki cable system. AWS is a high-profile addition to this group.
Q.Why is AWS investing in a submarine cable system for the first time?
Why is AWS investing in a submarine cable system for the first time?
AWS is following other tech companies like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft in actively investing in underlying infrastructure. This helps fill a gap as global telecommunications operators reduce their undersea investments.