KEPPEL LTD. (Keppel) is preparing to operate its 20,000-kilometer Bifrost cable system, which will be ready to carry commercial traffic in the coming weeks.
In a media release on Monday, Keppel said the Bifrost cable system has officially achieved ready-for-service status, enabling trans-Pacific connectivity.
The cable system spans 20,000 kilometers and is designed to support artificial intelligence (AI) workloads, cloud-native platforms, and real-time digital services.
Converge ICT Solutions, Inc. will host the landing of the Bifrost cable system in the Philippines, following the cable’s landing in Davao in August. The Bifrost Cable System connects Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States.
“The Philippines is in a prime location being in the center of the region, so this critical digital infrastructure — the Bifrost Cable System — is envisioned to support the booming connectivity needs of the Asia-Pacific region and provide an important direct link with the US,” Converge Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dennis Anthony H. Uy said.
Mr. Uy added that the cable system will boost the company’s bandwidth capacity and diversify the country’s network infrastructure.
The Bifrost system also provides over 260 terabits per second (Tbps) of additional capacity, Keppel said.
“With Bifrost on track to go live in the coming weeks, the system is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting the next wave of digital transformation, enhancing the resilience of regional digital infrastructure, and strengthening global data exchange,” the company said.
Keppel was allocated five of the 12 fibre pairs in Bifrost through a 40:60 joint venture with co-investors.
Bifrost lands in Singapore, Guam, and California, with branching units extending connectivity to Jakarta, the US, and the Philippines, enabling dynamic traffic routing and robust regional interconnection.
“Keppel is proud to announce that the Bifrost Cable System has achieved Ready for Service status. This landmark project will bolster digital connectivity between Southeast Asia and the USA. The Bifrost Cable System will reinforce Singapore’s position as a leading digital hub in Asia and support the region’s rapidly growing digital economy,” Keppel CEO for connectivity Manjot Singh Mann said.
At the stock exchange on Monday, Converge shares fell by eight centavos, or 0.65%, to close at P12.30 apiece. — Ashley Erika O. Jose
