SoftBank, alongside Meta, IPS, TM Technology Services, and XLSmart Telecom Sejahtera, has announced the launch of the “Candle” international submarine cable system, which will connect Japan and Singapore with multiple regional landing points. NEC Corporation has been contracted as the system supplier.
The 8,000 km subsea network will link Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, and is scheduled to begin operations in 2028. Designed with a 24-fibre pair configuration, Candle will deliver higher capacity and lower latency to support surging data demand from 5G, cloud services, and generative AI applications.
SoftBank will serve as the landing party in Japan, hosting the system at its Minamiboso City station in Chiba Prefecture, while also advancing new landing facilities in Hokkaido and Kyushu to enhance geographic diversity and disaster resilience.