XL Axiata and PP Telecommunication Sdn Bhd (PPTEL) have completed construction of the Batam Sarawak International Cable System (BaSIC) subsea cable system. The subsea cable is now operational and is expected to boost internet connection between Batam, Sumatra, Kalimantan and Sulawesi.
Work on the cable system started in 2020. The 700m system will also link to Pontianak in West Kalimantan through a land cable. BaSIC will provide 6 fibre pairs with an initial capacity of 2 Tbps, which will be subsequently raised to a maximum capacity of 48 Tbps.
