Kuala lumpur: Telekom Malaysia Bhd (TM) is collaborating with Meta, SoftBank Corp, IPS Inc, PT XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera Tbk, and NEC Corporation in developing the Candle submarine cable system which connects ASEAN countries to Japan.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Candle, which is scheduled to begin operations in 2028, is a 24-fibre pair, 8,000-kilometre (km) submarine cable system connecting Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Taiwan.

In a joint statement today, the partners said it would contribute to infrastructure expansion and secure redundant routes to meet the increasing demand for data communications driven by fifth generation (5G) and artificial intelligence (AI).

“This cable system will be one of the first in the Asia-Pacific region to use a 24-fibre pair cable, enabling superior traffic capacity to support the growing demand for communications in the region,” they said.

Candle Management Committee chairperson Don Pang stated that as the need for robust, high-speed connectivity grows, Candle would deliver greater network diversity and resilience along this essential corridor, leveraging state-of-the-art technology.

“This milestone reflects the deep collaboration among our partners and underscores our shared commitment to advancing digital inclusion and economic opportunity for over half a billion people in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.