Gulf Development Partners with Singtel to Invest in VTS Submarine Cable, Targeting 2030 Launch

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 10, Thailand's Gulf Development and Singtel Group announced a strategic partnership to jointly develop and invest in submarine optical cable infrastructure connecting Thailand and Singapore. The first project to be implemented under the partnership is the VTS submarine optical cable system, which is planned to enter operation in 2030, with project capital expenditure to be invested in phases over the coming years.

Under the cooperation arrangement, Gulf Development will leverage its strengths in infrastructure development and digital business resources, while Singtel will be responsible for submarine optical cable infrastructure and communications service capabilities. AIS, Singtel's affiliated operator in Thailand, will also participate in the development and commercialization of the VTS system, using its local network, customer resources, and communications capabilities to support the project's implementation in the Thai market.

The VTS project was initially launched in 2024 by Viettel Group and Singtel, with the main trunk route directly connecting Vietnam and Singapore and designed branches connecting Thailand, Cambodia, and Malaysia. The early plan adopted an 8-fiber-pair configuration and wavelength division multiplexing technology, with the Vietnam trunk landing station managed by Viettel Group and the Singapore landing station managed by Singtel. With the addition of Gulf Development and AIS, Thailand-side development and commercialization capabilities have been further incorporated into the project implementation system.

The early VTS plan announced in 2024 proposed entering operation in the second quarter of 2027, while the new round of cooperation announcements has adjusted the target launch time to 2030. At present, the two parties have not yet disclosed the latest total route length, system design capacity, specific landing points in Thailand, submarine cable suppliers, or total investment amount.

Gulf Development and Singtel also plan to continue evaluating other submarine optical cable and terrestrial optical fiber system investment opportunities beyond VTS. Their existing cooperation already covers Thailand's telecommunications and data center businesses, and the new round of cooperation will bring submarine communications infrastructure into the scope of joint investment.