Telkom Indonesia’s international arm Telin announced that it has officially launched the Pukpuk Submarine Cable System (Puk-Puk 1) that provides a direct subsea link between Indonesia’s Papua province and Papua New Guinea.
Puk-Puk 1 connects the cable landing station operated by Telkom Group in Jayapura to a landing station in Vanimo operated by PNG DataCo, the wholesale arm of Telikom.
The launch of Puk-Puk 1 gives Jayapura its second direct subsea link, following PNG DataCo’s Kumul Domestic Submarine Cable System, which began operations in 2019. No details were given on the cost and capacity of Puk-Puk 1.
Telin said Puk-Puk 1 gives Jayapura two independent international connectivity routes – the first connecting Sulawesi, Maluku and Papua, and the new route linking Jayapura to Vanimo, Madang and Port Moresby, continuing onward to Manado in North Sulawesi and the United States via the SEA-US cable system.
Telkom Indonesia’s president director Dian Siswarini said Puk-Puk 1 potentially opens a new connectivity corridor into the Asia-Pacific region, which is expected to accelerate digital economic growth, expand digital access for communities, and strengthen connectivity across border areas and Eastern Indonesia.
“Through Pukpuk, Telkom Group is not only strengthening Papua’s digital infrastructure, but also reaffirming that Eastern Indonesia is an integral part of the global connectivity ecosystem,” she said in a statement. “We hope this initiative will strengthen connectivity in Eastern Indonesia while opening broader opportunities for regional and global digital collaboration.”
At the launch ceremony, Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs, Angga Raka Prabowo, said that accelerating digital transformation remains one of Indonesia’s national priorities in building a more advanced, inclusive, and globally competitive nation.
“Connectivity must be developed equally, sustainably, and inclusively so that every region – including Eastern Indonesia – has the same opportunity to grow within the digital economy ecosystem,” Angga said.
