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| Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway | |
|---|---|
| Name | Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway |
| Location | Asia-Pacific region |
| Country | Multiple |
| Established | 2014 |
| Operator | International Telecommunication Union; Asian Development Bank |
| Funding | Multilateral donors, national agencies |
Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway is a regional initiative to expand high-capacity broadband connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region by linking countries via submarine cables, terrestrial fiber, and exchange points. Launched through collaboration among the International Telecommunication Union, the Asian Development Bank, and national ministries, the project aims to accelerate digital transformation in states such as India, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and Myanmar. It interfaces with regional programs including the Belt and Road Initiative, Pacific Islands Forum, and multilateral efforts by United Nations agencies.
The initiative proposes a networked backbone of submarine and terrestrial fiber to connect capitals and economic centers across East Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific Islands. It aligns with objectives of the International Telecommunication Union, the World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Asian Development Bank to close the digital divide in nations such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Laos, and Cambodia. By coordinating exchanges among national operators like Bharti Airtel, China Mobile, Telstra, PLDT, and SoftBank Group, the project seeks interoperability with existing systems including APNIC, Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre, and regional internet exchange points such as JPNAP and SINGAREN.
Conceptual work began in the 2010s as demand for international bandwidth rose alongside platforms such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Alibaba Group, and cloud providers like Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. Policy dialogues convened by the International Telecommunication Union and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific built on precedents like the SeaMeWe submarine cable series and the APEC digital agendas. Pilot corridor proposals were advanced with assistance from the Asian Development Bank and bilateral partners such as Japan International Cooperation Agency and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Subsequent stages incorporated lessons from projects involving Google's and Facebook's subsea investments and sovereign initiatives like India's National Optical Fibre Network.
The network combines long-haul submarine cables, terrestrial fiber rings, coastal landing stations, and neutral data centers operated by entities such as Equinix, NTT Communications, and KDDI. Technical standards reference bodies including the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the Internet Engineering Task Force, and the International Organization for Standardization for physical layer specifications and routing protocols deployed by vendors like Huawei, Nokia, Ericsson, and Cisco Systems. Points of presence integrate with regional internet exchange points such as HKIX, MS-IX, and IX.br, while peering arrangements follow models used by LINX and DE-CIX. Capacity planning incorporates submarine repeater technology, dense wavelength-division multiplexing systems from manufacturers like Fujitsu and Alcatel-Lucent, and spectrum allocations coordinated with national regulators including Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the National Telecommunications Commission (Philippines).
Governance rests on multilateral coordination among the International Telecommunication Union, the Asian Development Bank, and national ministries of information and communications such as Ministry of Communications (India), Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (Japan), and Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (Indonesia). Partnerships include commercial carriers (China Telecom, Singtel), development banks (World Bank, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank), and technical organizations like the Internet Society and APNIC. Legal frameworks draw on principles from agreements such as the WTO telecommunications references and regional memoranda of understanding negotiated at forums including the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Summit.
Financing combines concessional loans from the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, bilateral aid from governments such as Japan and Australia, and private investments from infrastructure funds and telecommunication companies including SingTel and NTT. Notable implementation projects mirror works like the Trans-Pacific Express and the Asia-America Gateway submarine cable, while national builds reference programs such as BharatNet in India and the National Broadband Network in Australia. Implementation partners have included NEC Corporation, SubCom, and Prysmian Group for cable laying, and regional agencies like the Pacific Community for Pacific Islands connectivity initiatives.
Improved connectivity supports digital services deployed by platforms like Amazon (company), Microsoft Corporation, and Google LLC for cloud computing, and enables telemedicine initiatives linked with institutions such as World Health Organization and UNICEF. Enhanced bandwidth underpins e-commerce ecosystems involving Alibaba Group and Rakuten, digital finance networks influenced by Visa and Mastercard, and educational collaborations with universities such as National University of Singapore and University of Malaya. For small island states including Fiji and Solomon Islands, increased redundancy reduces isolation and strengthens disaster response coordination with agencies like USAID and UN OCHA.
Critics cite geopolitical risks tied to infrastructure projects associated with actors such as People's Republic of China initiatives and the Belt and Road Initiative, raising concerns from governments like United States and Japan about strategic dependencies. Environmental groups reference impacts on marine habitats protected under conventions such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, while privacy advocates and civil society organizations including Access Now and Human Rights Watch warn about surveillance risks where vendors or operators have ties to states with restrictive policies. Technical challenges include maintenance costs experienced in remote locales like Papua New Guinea and Kiribati, and regulatory fragmentation among authorities including Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (UAE) and various national regulators that complicates harmonization.
Category:Telecommunications projects Category:Infrastructure in Asia