Jakarta, INTI - Southeast Asia's digital connectivity landscape has entered a new phase. On Monday, July 20, 2026, the Nongsa Changi Cable (NCC) officially completed its cable landing in Batam, Indonesia.
More than just a conventional submarine cable, NCC serves as a "digital highway" with the shortest route connecting Indonesia and Singapore. The infrastructure is designed to deliver ultra-low latency connectivity, supporting the growing demand for high-performance networks in the era of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The strategic project is a collaboration between PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia Internasional (Telin), a subsidiary of Telkom Indonesia, and BW Digital, with support from Nongsa Digital Park (NDP). The initiative marks a significant milestone in establishing Batam as a key digital gateway for Southeast Asia.
Spanning approximately 50 kilometers, NCC represents the shortest subsea cable route between Batam and Singapore. Its compact distance enables extremely low latency of below 2 milliseconds, while providing massive data transmission capacity of more than 1.6 Petabits per second.
Nongsa Changi Cable Strengthens Indonesia-Singapore Digital Connectivity
In his remarks, Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto highlighted the efficiency of the Nongsa Changi Cable (NCC) through an interesting comparison. He compared the 50-kilometer Changi–Nongsa route with the distance between Jakarta and Bogor.
"The distance is the same, around 50 kilometers. The difference is that traveling to Bogor can take more than an hour due to traffic, while on NCC's digital route, data can travel in just 0.2 milliseconds without congestion. This represents the physical foundation of our new digital corridor," Airlangga said.
He added that NCC's 1.6 Petabit per second capacity will become a key driver in supporting Indonesia's economic growth target of 8% through the development of AI and cloud ecosystems.
Airlangga also highlighted Indonesia's rapid digital growth, noting that the country currently has 235.26 million internet users and 99.5 million fixed broadband subscribers.
He emphasized Indonesia's strategic position as the fourth-largest potential AI market in Asia, following China, India, and Japan. The market is expected to continue expanding alongside the growth of the country's digital ecosystem.
Meanwhile, Singapore Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong praised the project as a reflection of the increasingly strong bilateral relationship between Indonesia and Singapore. He emphasized that digital infrastructure has become a crucial foundation for modern economic growth.
"The strengths of Batam and Singapore, as well as Indonesia and Singapore, complement each other. Projects such as the Nongsa-Changi Cable are extremely important. This cable will support the growth of data centers and digital services in Batam while enabling businesses to operate more efficiently across borders. Ultimately, this will create more opportunities for Singapore, Indonesia, and ASEAN," Gan said.
Strategic Investment to Boost Data Center and Digital Economy Growth
Telkom Indonesia President Director Dian Siswarini stated that the NCC landing represents TelkomGroup's commitment to strengthening Indonesia's digital sovereignty. Investment in NCC accounts for approximately 15% of Telin's annual capital expenditure (CAPEX).
"The shortest route means the best latency. This is crucial for hyperscalers. The project aligns with the TLKM 30 strategy to strengthen national digital infrastructure that can compete globally," Dian explained.
She added that NCC also represents strategic cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore in building a more connected and competitive digital ecosystem.
"This strategic infrastructure will not only strengthen Indonesia's connectivity and digital resilience but also provide Singapore with more diverse and robust connectivity routes as a regional digital hub, creating mutual benefits for both countries," Dian said.
Beyond strengthening national digital sovereignty, Managing Director Business-2 of Danantara Indonesia Setyanto Hantoro highlighted that strategic investments such as NCC can stimulate innovation, competitiveness, and industrial growth.
He emphasized the economic impact of the project, noting that digital infrastructure investments do more than improve connectivity, they also act as catalysts for economic expansion through data center development, job creation, and increased participation from local businesses.
"This cable landing is not merely a cable on the coastline. It is a catalyst that will grow the data center industry, create local employment opportunities, and involve regional contractors. The multiplier effect will significantly contribute to economic growth in Batam," Setyanto said during the press conference.
NCC Moves Toward Full Operation by September 2026
Although the landing ceremony has been completed, NCC will undergo final integration stages before becoming fully operational by the end of September 2026. Telin CEO Abdul Rahman Ansory explained that the ceremony marked the completion of the marine construction phase.
"Today's milestone confirms that the submarine cable segment has successfully reached land. The next stage is connecting the cable to terrestrial networks and terminating it at the Cable Landing Station (CLS). If everything proceeds smoothly, NCC is expected to achieve Ready for Service (RFS) status by the end of September 2026," Abdul Rahman explained.
From a technical perspective, Abdul Rahman highlighted that NCC was designed around four key pillars: a unique route, ultra-low latency, landing site diversity, and direct Data Center-to-Data Center (DC-to-DC) connectivity.
"This cable landing provides customers with the freedom to establish direct connections between data centers without unnecessary disruptions along the route. The goal is clear: to create wider data capacity and deliver significantly faster access," he said.
With its advanced infrastructure, NCC positions Indonesia to become a major data center hub in Southeast Asia, supported by one of the fastest and shortest digital routes connecting Batam and Singapore.
Conclusion
The completion of the Nongsa Changi Cable (NCC) landing marks a major milestone in strengthening Southeast Asia’s digital infrastructure. By providing ultra-low latency connectivity, massive data capacity, and direct links between Indonesia and Singapore, NCC is expected to accelerate AI adoption, data center growth, and cross-border digital services. The project reinforces Indonesia’s ambition to become a leading digital hub in the region while creating new opportunities for economic growth and technological innovation.
Read more: Indonesia Urged to Release 3.5 GHz Spectrum to Accelerate 5G Deployment