Projeto Amazônia Conectada (PAC 01)

Overview

Projeto Amazônia Conectada (PAC 01) is a domestic submarine cable system operating entirely within Brazil. Spanning approximately 800 kilometres, it serves the Amazon River basin, connecting a series of riverside cities in the state of Amazonas. The system was developed and is owned by the Government of Brazil, with the purpose of extending telecommunications connectivity to remote Amazonian communities that are otherwise difficult to reach by conventional land-based infrastructure.

Route and Landings

All six landing points are located in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. The cable reaches the cities of Coari, Iranduba, Manacapuru, Manaus, Novo Airão, and Tefé. These communities are distributed along the Amazon River and its tributaries, and the submarine cable route follows these waterways to deliver connectivity across the region.

Ownership and Operators

PAC 01 is owned by the Government of Brazil. As a state-owned infrastructure project, it reflects a public-sector initiative to address the connectivity needs of populations in the Amazon interior, where commercial investment in telecommunications networks has historically been limited.

Status and Timeline

The system became ready for service in 2017. It currently operates as a live domestic cable network connecting its six Amazonian landing points.

Regional Context

PAC 01 stands apart from the other submarine cable systems that land in Brazil. Regional peers such as GlobeNet, South American Crossing (SAC), South America-1 (SAm-1), America Movil Submarine Cable System-1 (AMX-1), BRUSA, and the planned Project Waterworth are intercontinental or continental systems spanning tens of thousands of kilometres, connecting Brazil to other countries and continents. PAC 01, at 800 kilometres, is a short intra-national system with a distinct purpose: serving inland river communities in the Amazon basin rather than international or long-haul traffic. This makes it structurally and functionally different from its Brazilian counterparts.

Strategic Role

By linking six cities along the Amazon waterways — including the regional hub of Manaus — PAC 01 provides a terrestrially challenging corridor with an alternative connectivity path. The cable connects smaller riverside communities such as Coari, Iranduba, Manacapuru, Novo Airão, and Tefé to the broader network anchored at Manaus, supporting government services, communications, and public institutions across one of the most geographically remote regions of Brazil.