How China Telecom is Connecting Countries Across Asia with the APG Line

The Asia Pacific Gateway (APG) submarine fiber optic cable line is now operational in Vietnam and will be rolled out across the Asia-Pacific region throughout 2017.

With a capacity of 54 terabytes per second, the APG has the highest capacity of any network in Asia and is 20 times faster than the Asia-America Gateway (AAG).

The new network is set to increase international transmission throughout the Asia-Pacific region while reducing the load on the existing AAG.

The $450 million undersea cable project will connect eight countries – Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Japan and Korea – and was initiated in May 2009.

China Telecom Plays Leading Role in APG

China Telecom continues to play a key role in the development and implementation of the APG in partnership with an international consortium that includes PLDT (the Philippines), Chunghwa Telecom (Taiwan), China Unicom, KT Corp. (Korea), NTT Communications (Japan), Telekom Malaysia and VNPT (Vietnam).

The APG joins China Telecom’s vast global network of 33 submarine cables and high-speed terrestrial links that connect 72 countries and regions around the world with a total international transmission capacity of seven terabytes.

“The APG is a key strategic step in China Telecom’s journey to becoming one of the leading Chinese IT services providers in the world,” says Joe Han, President of China Telecom Americas.

“We are honored to be working alongside some of the region’s finest telecommunications companies to bring world-class network capacities to the rapidly developing Asia-Pacific business community.”

The APG is the latest addition to China Telecom’s fiber cable network that spans more than 83,000 kilometers and is the largest optical fiber network in the world.

“As one of the world’s leading Chinese internet service providers, China Telecom continues to build our expansive global network to serve our rapidly growing customer base of multinational enterprises looking for reliable, scalable and secure network services,” says Mr. Han.

APG Supports Business Growth in Asia-Pacific

The construction of the APG was completed in November 2016. It spans 10,900 kilometers from Singapore in the south to Japan in the north, with cable landing stations at East Coast (Singapore), Kuantan (Malaysia), Songkhia (Thailand), Da Nang (Vietnam), Tseung Kwan (Hong Kong), Toucheng (Taiwan), Nanhui (China), Chongming (China), Busan (Korea) and Shima (Japan).

Facebook also sees the APG as important to the company’s growth in South Asia and invested an undisclosed amount in the project in 2012.

In a statement at the time, Facebook said the APG will “[make] it possible for us to provide a better user experience for a greater number of Facebook users in countries like India, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Singapore.”

“The APG will significantly increase internet speeds for businesses and consumers in the region,” says Mr. Han. “The network will improve data transfer speeds to North America, which is vital to supporting business growth and improving user experience.

“China Telecom is committed to investing in the Asia-Pacific region as it emerges as one of the world’s centers of economic growth.”

For more information, hi-res images or to organize an interview, please contact Ming Wei, Director of Solutions and Delivery, at [email protected]

About China Telecom Americas

China Telecom Americas is a wholly-owned US-based subsidiary of China Telecom Corporation, one of the world’s leading providers of integrated communications and information technology services to customers in over 70 countries around the globe. With headquarters in Herndon, Virginia, and offices in Dallas, Los Angeles, San Jose, Toronto and Sao Paolo, China Telecom Americas is advancing enterprise connectivity through a suite of locally-based, turnkey services from network architecture, cloud, and data center services to equipment management, content delivery and more. Discover more at www.ctamericas.com