Australian digital infrastructure firm SubCo is planning a new terrestrial fiber route linking Sydney and Melbourne.

The company this week announced SM-1, a new 850km terrestrial fiber network connecting Sydney and Melbourne.

The new greenfield route is due live in June 2028.

“SM-1 will deliver a minimum of 96 fiber pairs between Australia's two largest data center markets, providing critical domestic route diversity on a brand new, independent path,” the company said.

SubCo, part of Bevan Slattery’s Soda Group, owns the Oman Australia Cable and is developing several domestic and international subsea cable systems around Australia.

SubCo eyes buying a cable ship?

First reported by ITNews, Slattery told the AusNOG conference in Brisbane last month that Australia needed to augment its survey capabilities, and also to have its own vessel that can lay and repair submarine cables.

As well as potentially buying its own uncrewed surface drone (USV) for surveys, he said that the company could look to procure its own cable-laying vessel – something that Australia doesn’t currently have – but would look to secure government funding.

"I need to make a decision on whether or not I buy a cable vessel. I said I'll do it by the end of the year,” he said. If a decision is made on that timeline, it could be built and delivered by the end of 2029.

Buying a cable ship could cost in the region of AU$250 million (US$174m).