Telstra International recently announced a series of investments that aim to extend its network capabilities and boost connectivity to key global markets. In January, the company partnered with Google and APTelecom to deliver the central Pacific Connect initiative, enhancing connectivity to the Pacific region. It is also partnering with Trans Pacific Networks (TPN) on the Echo cable, the first subsea cable to directly connect the U.S. to Singapore, and is extending its network capabilities in Latin America with a new dedicated PoP at Stemmons Towers in Dallas and a collaboration with Mexican telecom providers Axtel and Vivaro. Telstra International, which serves as the global arm of Telstra, operates a core subsea network that spans more than 24,000 miles, with 58 data centers and licenses in Asia, Europe and the Americas and more than 2,000 PoPs across more than 200 countries and territories. ChannelVision caught up with Telstra Americas president and managing director Noah Drake to discuss the company latest network investments and partner strategy for 2024. ChannelVision: Tell us more about the work that Telstra International is doing in APAC with Google and APTelecom and how it supports local economies. Noah Drake: Telstra will be one of the key telecommunications providers for this project and will own and operate a fiber pair on the core trunk of the Bulikula cable connecting Guam and Fiji. The next step will be partnering with other carriers and governments to assist in building and operating branches to other islands in the Pacific. These branches will provide access to vital digital services across the region and will improve network performance, redundancy and reliability. CV: The Echo subsea system will offer high-speed, resilient network infrastructure between South Asia and the U.S. What is Telstra’s role in this project? ND: The Echo cable system is a unique express route connecting California, Jakarta, Singapore, and Guam – a geographical area that is one of the more challenging regions globally in terms of regulation and subsea cable cuts. This system creates a new path and offers low-latency, high-speed, resilient network infrastructure connecting South Asia to the U.S. Many of our customers and partners have been asking for this, especially as demand for Trans-Pacific bandwidth grows at one of the fastest rates in the world, with forecasts showing it will increase by 39 percent YoY until 2029. Telstra will become TPN’s operating partner to provide secure, long-term stability on an efficient route. In addition, Telstra will be delivering cable landing station services for Echo in Singapore and network operations center services. CV: In addition to APAC, Telstra International is focusing heavily on LATAM. How will your new Dallas PoP and strategic partnerships help make inroads into the region? ND: LATAM is a key growth market as we expect to see increased demand for connectivity between APAC and the region. The Dallas PoP and our partnerships with Axtel and Vivaro will allow enterprise and wholesale customers located in countries all over the world (including throughout Latin America) to easily integrate into Telstra’s expansive connectivity network, enhancing their global reach and accessibility. The strategic location also enables Mexican multinational corporations seeking to connect to other regions to plug into the network to reach Asia-Pacific and Europe; and, likewise, APAC multinationals can now reach Mexico through the same gateway. CV: Telstra offers a robust partner program that helps agents discover international opportunities. Tell us more about this program and how Telstra empowers partners. ND: Telstra’s partner program in the U.S. is all about helping channel partners understand Telstra’s network infrastructure offerings so that they can grow their customer base, expand their offerings and increase their revenues. It starts with us being able to provide a leading global footprint and one of the largest subsea cable fiber networks in APAC, which offers our partners’ customers scalability, reliability and robust connectivity options throughout the region, especially in challenging or emerging markets. However, the real key to our success with partners such as Bridgepointe, Avant, Intelisys and others is our dedicated team of channel managers and solutions architects. They work closely with partners to not only find the right products and services for their customers but also to help design a network with the best options for diversity, resiliency and redundancy. These truly consultative relationships empower our partners to get it right and close the deal. CV: What’s next for Telstra International in 2024? Are there are any exciting developments in the pipeline? ND: We have ambitious investment plans in digital infrastructure including subsea cables, terrestrial fiber and cable landing stations in new connectivity hubs such as the Philippines and Guam. Our priority investments are Intra-Asia and U.S.-Asia subsea routes and a new Singapore-Philippines-U.S. route. Beyond this we will continue to invest in high-demand subsea and ground assets. Some of these investments will be with partners as we believe there’s a greater opportunity for innovation that can be created and shared when we collaborate deeply. o Telstra International Accelerates Global Network Investments Telstra’s Noah Drake A Q&A with Americas president and managing director Noah Drake 38 CHANNELVISION | MAY - JUNE 2024
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