Southern Cross Cable Network (SCCN)

Overview

The Southern Cross Cable Network (SCCN) is a transpacific submarine cable system spanning 30,500 kilometres. It connects Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the United States, serving the broad corridor between the South Pacific and the western coast of North America. The system is owned and operated by Southern Cross Cable Network.

Route and Landings

In Australia, the cable lands at two points in New South Wales: Alexandria and Brookvale.

In Fiji, the cable has a landing at Suva.

In New Zealand, the cable reaches the shore at Takapuna and Whenuapai.

In the United States, the cable has four landing points: Hillsboro in Oregon; Morro Bay in California; and Kahe Point and Spencer Beach, both in Hawaii.

Ownership and Operators

Southern Cross Cable Network is the sole owner of this system. The company operates as a dedicated transpacific cable operator, providing connectivity across the South Pacific region.

Status and Timeline

The Southern Cross Cable Network entered service in 2000 and continues to operate as an active system connecting its four countries.

Regional Context

The SCCN's nine landing points span Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the United States, placing it among a set of long-haul systems serving the Pacific basin. Among its regional peers, Project Waterworth covers a significantly longer route at 50,000 kilometres, while cables such as GlobeNet and South America-1, both entering service around the same period, operate in overlapping or adjacent corridors. More recently commissioned systems including the Asia-America Gateway Cable System, Bifrost, and the planned Bulikula cable have expanded the range of transpacific and South Pacific routes available. At 30,500 kilometres, SCCN remains a substantial system within this group.

Performance measurements over the past 60 days recorded an average round-trip latency of 187.4 milliseconds across the cable, with a best recorded figure of 139.5 milliseconds, consistent with the distances involved across this transpacific corridor.

Strategic Role

With landing points distributed across four countries and multiple locations in both the United States and Australia, the Southern Cross Cable Network provides transpacific connectivity linking New Zealand and Fiji to the broader Pacific network. The presence of two Hawaiian landing points — Kahe Point and Spencer Beach — alongside mainland United States landings in Oregon and California offers geographic diversity on the North American side, while the two New South Wales landings and the Suva connection extend reach across the South Pacific.