TMX5

Overview

TMX5 is a domestic submarine cable system operating entirely within Mexico. Spanning 383 km, it connects two points along Mexico's Pacific coast and serves an intra-national corridor within the country. The cable is owned and operated by Telmex, one of Mexico's principal telecommunications providers.

Route and Landings

TMX5 has two landing points, both located in Mexico. One landing is at Mazatlán, a port city on the Sinaloa coast of the Pacific. The other landing is at San José del Cabo, situated at the southern tip of the Baja California Peninsula. Together, these two points define a coastal corridor running along the eastern edge of the Gulf of California.

Ownership and Operators

TMX5 is solely owned by Telmex, a major Mexican telecommunications company with extensive fixed-line and network infrastructure operations across the country. As the single owner, Telmex holds full operational responsibility for the system.

Status and Timeline

TMX5 reached ready-for-service status in 2025, making it a recently activated system with approximately one year of operational history. It is currently in service.

Regional Context

Mexico hosts a substantial number of submarine cable landings, with the broader national cable landscape featuring systems of considerably greater length, several spanning thousands of kilometers across ocean basins. At 383 km, TMX5 is among the shorter systems touching Mexican shores, exceeding only 22% of other cables in the same national corridor by length. This reflects its function as a regional coastal link rather than a long-haul international system.

Among cables active or planned in Mexico's Pacific corridor, TMX5 sits alongside much larger intercontinental systems such as AMX-1, Pan-American Crossing, ARCOS, and the recently activated Bifrost. Upcoming systems including MANTA and CSN-1 will further expand connectivity options in the region. TMX5 is distinct from these peers in its domestic focus and comparatively short reach.

Strategic Role

By linking Mazatlán on the Mexican mainland with San José del Cabo at the tip of the Baja California Peninsula, TMX5 provides a direct subsea connection across the Gulf of California. This route offers an alternative to terrestrial paths that must traverse the length of the Baja peninsula, supporting connectivity for communities and services at both landing locations. The cable extends Telmex's domestic network infrastructure along the Pacific coast of Mexico.