TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Chunghwa Telecom announced Monday that it will invest NT$4.6 billion (US$139.2 million) in a trans-Pacific submarine cable.
Chunghwa Telecom said E2A is a trans-Pacific fiber-optic network spanning approximately 12,500 km, per Liberty Times. It is being jointly developed by a consortium that includes Chunghwa Telecom, South Korea's SK Broadband, Japan's SoftBank, and the US-based Verizon.
The cable will be built using state-of-the-art technology to enhance digital connectivity between Asia and North America. It is expected to be operational in the second half of 2028.
Chunghwa Telecom Chair Chien Chih‐cheng (簡志誠) said the company will continue to integrate submarine cables, fiber-optic networks, and mobile communications, supplemented by satellites and microwave technology, to establish a "Sea, Land, Sky, and Space" network. Chien said this approach will enhance network resilience through mutual backups, reinforcing Taiwan’s role as an information hub in the region.
The "Sea, Land, Sky, and Space" concept refers to submarine cables, fixed-line networks, low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, and 5G. The company said the investment in E2A will build on its traditional strengths in fixed networks and 5G.
It also holds distribution rights for the OneWeb LEO satellite network and the SES medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite network, both expected to begin services in mid-2025. In addition, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, slated for launch in June next year, will deploy hundreds of satellites covering Taiwan. Chunghwa Telecom is negotiating exclusive distribution rights.
The firm said the E2A submarine cable system will connect major digital hubs in Asia and North America, with landing points in Toucheng, Taiwan; Busan, South Korea; Maruyama, Chiba Prefecture, Japan; and Morro Bay, California. It said the system would become critical infrastructure for regional and global communications. It will also integrate with upcoming Asian subsea cables in Taiwan, such as SJC2 and Apricot, enhancing the country's role in trans-Pacific connectivity.
More than 90% of global international internet traffic relies on submarine cables, according to the company. Due to massive investment costs, international companies often form alliances for joint investments.
In Taiwan, Chunghwa Telecom said it dominates the submarine cable market. It has invested in over 30 international submarine cables, including around 14 cables connecting Taiwan to other countries.
