Australian-owned and Singapore-headquartered Inligo Networks will play a key role delivering critical infrastructure and services to Northern Australia.
The telecommunications firm is building a Cable Landing Station (CLS) in the vicinity of 4 international subsea cables into Darwin in the Northern Territory (NT). These include Inligo Networks’ flagship Asia Connect Cable, currently in development.
Darwin is located within 50 milliseconds to more than 500 million people. It offers a secure and stable location for digital, data, technology and telecommunication companies to start up, relocate or expand their operations to service the Australian and Indo-Pacific markets.
Inligo Networks expects the development and construction of the CLS to take approximately 18 months and be ready for service in the second half of 2026. The project will create 75 jobs during construction and 14 jobs once operational.
Connecting Australia to Southeast Asia and the US
Inligo Networks is an independent, privately owned designer, builder and operator of subsea and terrestrial fibre-optic cable systems. It has projects across Southeast Asia, Oceania and the Pacific.
The CLS is part of the company’s ambitious project to help develop the NT’s digital infrastructure and connect it to the southeastern states of Australia. The NT Government assisted Inligo Networks to acquire land for the CLS in proximity to the Asia Connect Cable landing point beach manhole.
In parallel with the CLS, Inligo Networks has commenced building the Unite Cable System. This high-speed, low-latency terrestrial fibre network will connect Darwin to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney. The Unite Cable System was granted Major Project Status by the NT Government in March 2024. This recognition is given to projects that are of national significance to Australia. Inligo Networks started building the US$225 million network in 2024 and it is scheduled for completion in 2027.
The Unite Cable System will connect to Inligo Networks’ Asia Connect Cable (ACC-1). ACC-1 is a 19,000-kilometre cable that will connect Darwin, Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney to Guam, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste and California, US.
The ACC-1 network will provide global telecommunications companies and government agencies with a hyperscale route between Australia, Southeast Asia and the US. It is set to start operating in 2027.
The combination of ACC-1 and the Unite Cable System will position Darwin as a digital gateway that can support the high technology industries in Australia’s north and connect Australia with the dynamic economies of Southeast Asia.
A rendered image of Inligo Networks’ proposed Cable Landing Station in Darwin.
How Austrade helped
Inligo Networks reached out to Austrade for assistance with introductions to key stakeholders. These included the NT Government, and state governments in South Australia and Victoria. Austrade also connected Inligo Networks to Export Finance Australia.
Austrade’s regional offices in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also supported Inligo Networks with advice and market insights.
‘Austrade was pivotal in bringing together various government instrumentalities in Australia and in the region,’ says Brian Evans, Inligo Networks’ Chief Executive Officer. ‘Once we were able to engage with those who were pivotal to the development of the project, we were able to reach agreement on both scope and the necessary resources required to make this investment a success.
‘Austrade was very professional and committed to the success of the vision and the project from start to finish.’
A strategic investment destination
Australia is a safe and supportive location to establish or expand your business. We are a natural gateway for global trade, with an open economy, access to dynamic Asia-Pacific markets and a government that supports investors.
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