Singtel and Viettel have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on the development of the Vietnam-Singapore Cable System (VTS), marking a significant milestone in telecommunication cooperation between the two countries. This submarine cable project aims to establish a direct link between Vietnam and Singapore, employing advanced wavelength division multiplexing technology with eight fibre pairs.
Scheduled for completion by the second quarter of 2027, the VTS will serve as the shortest cable route connecting the two nations. Viettel will oversee the management of the main trunk landing stations in Vietnam, while Singtel will manage those in Singapore. Additionally, branch landing stations are anticipated to be established in Cambodia, Thailand, and Malaysia.
Upon deployment, the VTS is projected to contribute hundreds of terabits per second (Tbps) to Viettel's international connectivity capacity. This initiative aligns with Vietnam's strategy to bolster its submarine cable network to at least 15 systems by 2030, with a collective capacity exceeding 334 tbps. Vietnam aims to prioritize short routes directly linking to key digital hubs in Asia, particularly Singapore.
Vietnam intends to evenly distribute its submarine cable systems across three directions: the northern and southern regions of the East Sea, as well as the Southern Sea areas. The VTS will significantly enhance Viettel's international connection infrastructure by providing substantial high-speed capacity, opening up a connection route to the south, and bolstering redundancy and security.
Notably, the VTS represents the first collaboration between Vietnam and Singapore's leading telecommunications operators to establish a cable featuring the latest advanced bandwidth technology. Ooi Seng Keat, Singtel's vice president for digital infrastructure and services, highlighted the significance of this project in meeting the escalating demand for higher-bandwidth and lower-latency connectivity in Vietnam's rapidly growing digital economy.