Australian fiber network provider Superloop is getting customers onto its new dark fiber network in Singapore, while its network within Australia is also expanding
Superloop has built 92km of a network in Singapore, that will be approximately 110km when complete later this quarter. The network, which Superloop began in April, is the first expansion of the company outside Australia, where it is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) company as an independent dark fiber infrastructure provider that designs, build and operate networks.
Coming on stream
Superloop has now activated its first customer services in Singapore between the Global Switch and Equinix SG1 data centers. The remainder of the initial Singapore network is expected to be completed in the later part of the third quarter.
“Whilst dark fiber is available in Singapore, Superloop is a duct owner. We own and operate our entire network and do not need to lease and re-sell duct or fiber from another carrier,” said Daniel Abrahams, CEO of Superloop, in response to a query from DCD. “This puts us in a select group of only three or four companies in Singapore with this advantage.”
In comparison, other operators in Singapore tend to be vertically integrated carriers that offer a full range of services including residential broadband to mobile communications, explained Abrahams, noting how dark fiber is not a core product for them and one that “they prefer not to sell”.
“Superloop offers a clear market opportunity to other carriers and content providers to build and construct their networks on a size and scale which would not be viable on a managed service platform,” he said.
By end of Q3 2015, the company says it expect to add Equinix SG2, Equinix SG3, Digital Realty in Jurong as part of its geographically diverse network in Singapore. Also to be wired up would be the Tuas Cable Landing Station and the Katong Cable Landing Station in the Western and Central part of Singapore.
The company is certainly looking to expand aggressively here. Some of the other locations that Abrahams says the company is currently looking at would be the Changi Cable Landing Station and MCS Changi Cable Landing Station in the Eastern part of Singapore, and data centers such as Digital Realty at Loyang, Keppel Datahub 2, and Epsilon.
Superloop has also commenced providing services to customers in Australia, where its Australian network will eventually provide connectivity to 34 data centers in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne when completed.