An international consortium comprising Chunghwa Telecom, SoftBank Corp., SK Broadband, and Verizon Business has officially commenced the construction of the East Asia to North America (E2A) submarine cable system. This high-capacity system will feature 12 fibre pairs and offer a total data capacity exceeding 182Tbps, spanning approximately 12,500 km across the Pacific Ocean. It will directly link Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan to the west coast of the United States.
Enhancing Connectivity for AI, Cloud, and Data Centers
The E2A system is being developed to support the growing demands of AI applications, cloud services, and data centers in both East Asia and the US. The subsea cable will be deployed by Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN) and is expected to be ready for service in the second half of 2028.
“We’re very pleased to have initiated the project for a new submarine cable connecting East Asia and the United States. As we enter an era where AI is being fully implemented, the importance of international submarine cables connecting not only Japan and the United States but also major parts of Asia as arteries of information is increasing,” said Teruyuki Oya, Vice President, Head of Mobile & Network Technology Unit at SoftBank.
Strengthening Trans-Pacific Data Routes
The E2A cable system is also part of a broader initiative to diversify trans-Pacific data routes, ensuring reliable and scalable connectivity. It is expected to interconnect with other upcoming subsea projects, including the Southeast Asia-Japan Cable 2 (SJC2) and the Apricot system, further strengthening global digital infrastructure.
