Vietnam Surfs the Fast Lane: Asia’s Biggest Subsea Cable Goes Live

Unknown Apr 02, 2026 800 Views

Vietnam has switched on its largest-capacity submarine cable system, the Asia Direct Cable (ADC), with this move representing a huge step for Vietnam's digital infrastructure and global connectivity. The ADC, which went live in early April 2025, will revolutionize Vietnam's position in th...

Brief Introduction

The Asia Direct Cable (ADC) is a cutting-edge undersea fiber optic system with a top capacity of 50 Tbps—the largest and fastest in Vietnamese history. The cable links Vietnam directly to major Asian internet centers and is a joint venture of nine major telecommunications giants. Viettel, Vietnam's military-controlled telecom group, is the only Vietnamese investor and operator of Vietnam's segment.

Project Overview

ADC is a 9,800-kilometer submarine cable system connecting Vietnam, China, Hong Kong, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, and Japan.
The cable arrives in Quy Nhon, Binh Dinh Province, and is wholly owned and operated within Vietnam by Viettel.
Total investment for the project: US$290 million, involving nine of the world's top telecom corporations, including SoftBank, Tata, Singtel, and a number of Chinese and Southeast Asian partners.

Technical Highlights

Maximum capacity: 50 Tbps—125% higher than the combined capacity of Vietnam's five prior international cables (IA, AAE-1, APG, AGG, SMW-3).
Uses dense wavelength division multiplexing technology, enabling ultra-high speeds and future-proof scalability.
Directly links to all three major Asian internet centers: Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan—first for Vietnam's cable systems.

Strategic Significance

Increases Vietnam's international internet bandwidth, enhances user experience, and increases backup capacity in the event of outages.
Diversifies and enhances Vietnam's digital infrastructure, enabling high-level technologies such as AI, 5G, Big Data, and AR/VR applications.
Makes Vietnam a regional and international data transmission key player, aligning with its vision to become a digital hub.

Future Outlook

Vietnam plans to have at least 15 submarine cable systems by 2030 with a total international capacity of at least 350 Tbps.
The ADC establishes a new benchmark for upcoming cable projects, with another significant system (SJC-2) soon to go online.

Relevant Sources: Vietnam News, SubTel Forum, VnEconomy, VietnamPlus, VnExpress, The Investor, VietnamNet

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