Tonga has significantly strengthened its digital infrastructure with the landing of the Hawaiki Tonga subsea cable in Vava’u, marking the country’s second international connection and its first direct link to a major transpacific network. Delivered by BW Digital in partnership with the governments of Tonga, Australia, and New Zealand, the 383-kilometre cable connects Tonga to a broader system spanning Australia, New Zealand, the United States, and other Pacific territories. The new cable is expected to improve internet capacity, speed, and most importantly, resilience. Until now, Tonga relied heavily on a single international subsea cable, leaving it vulnerable to outages. This weakness became clear in 2022 when a major volcanic eruption damaged critical underwater infrastructure and disrupted communications across the islands. The new system aims to reduce such risks by providing redundancy and more stable international connectivity. Officials say it will support digital services, economic activity, and emergency communications while strengthening Tonga’s integration into global digital networks. The development highlights the growing importance of secure and diversified submarine cable systems for small island nations in the Pacific.
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