SMPCS Packet-2

Overview

SMPCS Packet-2 is a domestic submarine cable system serving Indonesia, with a total length of 3,498 km. The cable connects multiple landing points across the eastern Indonesian provinces of Papua and Maluku, forming a coastal arc that links remote and geographically isolated communities in this part of the archipelago. As an entirely intra-Indonesian system, it supports connectivity across a region where terrestrial infrastructure is limited and sea crossings are the practical means of long-distance data transmission.

Route and Landings

All eleven landing points on SMPCS Packet-2 are located within Indonesia. The cable serves the following coastal towns and cities across eastern Indonesia: Biak, Fakfak, Jayapura, Kaimana, Manokwari, Merauke, Sarmi, Sorong, Timika, Tual, and Waisai. These locations span the Bird's Head Peninsula region, the northern and southern coasts of the island of New Guinea, and the Maluku island chain, collectively covering a broad and dispersed coastal geography.

Ownership and Operators

SMPCS Packet-2 is owned and operated solely by Telkom Indonesia. Telkom Indonesia is the country's state-owned telecommunications provider and operates a wide range of domestic and international network infrastructure across the Indonesian archipelago.

Status and Timeline

SMPCS Packet-2 was ready for service in 2015 and is currently in service, providing active connectivity across its eleven landing points in eastern Indonesia.

Regional Context

Within Indonesia's submarine cable landscape, SMPCS Packet-2 occupies a distinct position as a domestic intra-island system focused on eastern Indonesia, rather than an international or intercontinental link. Several much longer international cable systems also touch Indonesian shores, including Bifrost and Echo (both with an RFS of 2025), Apricot (RFS 2025), Hawaiki Nui 1 (RFS 2027), Asia Connect Cable-1 (RFS 2028), and Asia United Gateway East (RFS 2029). These systems range from approximately 8,900 km to nearly 20,000 km in length and serve international corridors. SMPCS Packet-2, at 3,498 km and serving exclusively domestic landings, addresses a different connectivity need: reaching communities along the coasts of Papua and Maluku that are underserved by other infrastructure.

Strategic Role

By connecting eleven ports and coastal towns across eastern Indonesia in a single cable system, SMPCS Packet-2 provides telecommunications access to communities spread across one of the world's most geographically fragmented regions. The concentration of landing points in Papua and Maluku reflects the practical challenge of linking islands and remote coastal settlements where overland routes are impractical. The system enables data and voice connectivity to reach areas that would otherwise depend on satellite or other higher-latency alternatives.