Last month six companies including Google and Telstra entered into an agreement with Alcatel Submarine Networks to build a new international cable system that will connect Singapore, Indonesia and Australia.  

The cable, almost 10,000 kilometres long, will start in Singapore before heading south to Jakarta, Perth and through the Bass Strait to Sydney.

A spokeswoman for the state government confirmed opportunities were being canvassed to see Tasmania involved in the project.

“The government is in active talks with members of the Indigo Central consortium,” the spokeswoman confirmed.

“We are keen to explore what opportunities there may be for Tasmania from a connection.”

The declaration was welcomed by Will Kestin, the head of Tasmania’s peak body for information and technology.

“It is positive and we do think this is a once in a generation opportunity,” he said. 

“It’s great to hear the government is in active talks but we do hope for some clarity on what that means and what that looks like.”

Mr Kestin and the TasICT board met Minister for Information Technology and Innovation Michael Ferguson in an “encouraging” meeting last week.

The technology head hoped to see private investors get onboard with the project, but warned they, and the government must act quickly.

“There’s a window for the engineering for this project and if we miss that window the engineering will be set and we will miss out,” he said. 

“It’s a long-term opportunity to make Tasmania an intersection and not a cul-de-sac.

“This opportunity to build a spur will not come again.”

He said while private investment and industry support was needed, the government needed to drive the project.

“It really does open up the potential for international investment,” he said.

Using today’s optical technology, each of the two-fibre pairs will have a minimum capacity of 18 terabits per second, with the option to increase capacity in the future.

Alcatel Submarine Networks will construct the cable, which is expected to be completed by mid-2019.