APTelecom Signs THUS Study Agreement in Singapore

SubTel Forum
September 23, 2026

SINGAPORE, September 23, 2026 — APTelecom and Thailand’s National Telecom Public Company Limited (NT) marked the appointment of APTelecom to undertake the Thailand–U.S. (THUS) submarine cable feasibility study with a signing ceremony in Singapore during Submarine Networks World 2026.

APTelecom announced the appointment in a social media post accompanying a photograph of the ceremony. The agreement concerns a U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA)-funded feasibility study for the proposed cable system, adding a project milestone to this year’s gathering of the international subsea telecommunications industry.

The ceremony took place on the opening day of Submarine Networks World 2026, held September 23–24 at Singapore’s Sands Expo and Convention Centre. The conference brings together cable owners, operators, technology suppliers and other participants in the global submarine communications sector. Event details

The Singapore signing follows the September 14 announcement of a separate grant agreement between NT and USTDA. That agreement, signed at NT’s headquarters, established funding for the feasibility work. NT said the study will inform future investment decisions through assessments of project costs, possible cable routes and investment models. The proposed system would replace aging Thailand–United States submarine cable infrastructure approaching the end of its operational life. NT announcement

Under the study, APTelecom will evaluate THUS’s commercial, technical, financial and regulatory viability. The work includes route design, economic analysis, commercialization planning and regulatory review, with the aim of helping the project attract financing for implementation. USTDA describes a system that could extend up to 11,500 miles, linking Thailand to the United States through as many as five other Southeast Asian countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The envisioned route would avoid the South China Sea. USTDA announcement

THUS is being developed around an open-access concept intended to make capacity available to a broad customer base on fair and transparent terms. USTDA identifies greater network resilience, route diversity and affordable regional connectivity as central objectives of the project. USTDA announcement

For Thailand, the project forms part of a wider effort to strengthen its position as a regional digital hub. NT links the need for additional international connectivity to expanding demand from data centers, cloud services, artificial intelligence and other data-intensive applications across Thailand and neighboring markets. NT announcement

Founded in 2009, APTelecom provides digital infrastructure consulting across subsea cables, fiber networks, data centers and related technologies. Its services include feasibility studies, due diligence, commercial strategy and infrastructure financing support—areas directly relevant to evaluating a proposed international cable investment. The September 23 ceremony marks progress in THUS’s planning phase. The feasibility study will provide the technical and commercial foundation for subsequent investment and development decisions. About APTelecom

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