DILI, 01 january 2026 (TATOLI) — The Government of Timor-Leste has entered a new phase in testing its submarine fiber optic cable connection to Australia, extending the trial to the country’s three telecommunications operators after completing initial tests within public institutions.
The project, managed by Kabu Timor-Leste (CTL, E.P.), is expected to significantly improve internet speed, stability and reliability nationwide.
Minister of Transport and Communications Miguel Marques Manetelu said the first phase of the trial began on november 25, 2025, focusing on ministries and state institutions.
“We began trials with state institutions and ministries on november 25, with The National Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (DNIK) coordinating connections across government agencies,” the minister said at CTL’s office in Bebonuk.
The second phase now involves technical testing with Timor-Leste’s telecom operators, starting with network configuration verification before the system becomes fully operational.
For the trial phase, the government has purchased 10 gigabits per second (Gbps) of internet capacity from Australian provider Vocus.
“Once the service is commercialized, capacity will depend on the requirements of each operator, including Timor Telecom, Telemor and other ISPs,” he said.
Internet access during the trial period is being provided free of charge, allowing operators and users to test the speed and performance of the submarine cable.
Timor Telecom Technical Director Francisco Leite described the development as a long-awaited milestone, saying submarine connectivity offers greater security and stability compared to existing systems.
The government is currently allocating 2 Gbps of trial capacity to Timor Telecom, which the company plans to distribute across its mobile and fixed-line services.
Timor Telecom serves approximately 350,000 active mobile subscribers and nearly 10,000 fixed-service customers.
Telkomcel’s Vice President for Marketing and Sales, Herua Yulianto, called the Australia-linked connection a strategic step toward strengthening national internet reliability.
“We hope the connection will prove stable not only in the short term but also over the long term, enabling us to provide better service quality,” he said.
Telemor Deputy General Director Nguyen Viet Anh Andy also welcomed the initiative, noting that demand for mobile data continues to increase annually.
“We must ensure backup routes are available to maintain service continuity,” he said.
TATOLI
