The North West Cable System (NWCS) is a submarine cable system that connects Darwin in Australia to Port Headland and beyond to Jakarta in Indonesia. The cable system stretches over 2,000 kilometers and has a capacity of 2 terabits per second (Tbps). It is owned and operated by Vocus Communications, a major telecommunications company in Australia.
The NWCS was completed in 2016 and is used primarily for data transmission, providing high-speed connectivity between Australia and Indonesia. The cable system is also used for international voice and data traffic, as well as for oil and gas exploration and production activities in the region.
One of the key advantages of the NWCS is that it provides a direct link between Australia and Indonesia, bypassing the need for data to be routed through other countries. This has significantly reduced latency and increased data transfer speeds between the two countries.
The NWCS is a significant infrastructure project that has brought economic benefits to the region by promoting business and trade between Australia and Indonesia. It has also helped to improve communication and connectivity in remote areas of Australia, supporting the growth of local businesses and communities.