Samoa Direct Buried Optical Cable

The Tui-Samoa submarine cable is Samoa's primary direct buried optical cable, linking Samoa to Fiji with high-capacity fiber-optic connectivity.OverviewThe Tui-Samoa submarine cable system is a 1,470 km fiber-optic cable connecting Samoa with Fiji, with landing points in Apia and Tuasivi (Samoa) and Suva (Fiji), including branches to Vanua Levu – Savusavu (Fiji) and Wallis & Futuna . It consists of two fiber pairs and supports a system capacity of 16 terabits per second (Tbit/s) using 100 Gbit/s transmission technology . The cable was supplied by ASN and became operational on 9 February 2018 .Ownership and ManagementThe cable is owned and operated by the Samoa Submarine Cable Company Limited (SSCC), established in April 2015 by the Government of Samoa and six founding shareholders: Samoa National Provident Fund, Unit Trust of Samoa, Samoa Life Assurance Corporation, Bluesky Samoa Ltd, Computer Services Ltd, and Digicel Samoa Ltd . SSCC's mandate is to provide fast, reliable, and affordable internet connectivity to stimulate ICT innovation, economic growth, and social development in Samoa .Funding and DevelopmentThe Tui-Samoa project cost approximately US$57 million, with US$25 million contributed by the Asian Development Bank . The project was part of a broader initiative to expand Samoa's international connectivity, complementing the existing Samoa–American Samoa (SAS) cable, which links Apia to Pago Pago and serves as both a primary and redundancy route . The SAS cable had a capacity of 1 Gbps and was nearing the end of its useful life before Tui-Samoa was deployed .Technical and Strategic ImportanceThe Tui-Samoa cable provides direct buried optical fiber connectivity, ensuring high-speed, low-latency internet access for Samoa. It supports network redundancy, reducing reliance on satellite connections and older cables, and enables wholesale capacity supply to local telecommunications operators . The system also laid the groundwork for Samoa's participation in regional consortium cables, such as the Manatua Cable, linking Tahiti to Samoa with branches to the Cook Islands and Niue .Impact on SamoaBefore Tui-Samoa, internet access in Samoa was limited and expensive, with broadband penetration below 1% for fixed lines and 27% for mobile networks . The deployment of this direct buried optical cable has significantly improved bandwidth availability, reduced costs, and enhanced digital services, including e-health, education, and government connectivity . It represents a critical step in bridging the digital divide and supporting Samoa's long-term ICT development goals. In summary, the Tui-Samoa submarine cable is Samoa's key direct buried optical cable, providing high-capacity, reliable international connectivity, managed by SSCC, and forming the backbone of the country's modern digital infrastructure .