Telstra International, the international arm of Telstra, intends to develop a regional network hub in Guam with a dedicated point-of-presence (PoP) in Piti at the carrier-neutral GNC iX data center, which is owned and operated by local provider, TeleGuam Holdings (GTA).
Geographically, Guam is positioned at a crossroads of major undersea cable routes. Telstra owns the Australia-Japan cable (AJC), and others include the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) and the Taiwan-Philippines-US (TPU) cable systems.
The PoP will act as connection point for cable systems currently being constructed in partnership with Telstra, while also providing connectivity to serve a growing demand in Guam.
“The strategic positioning of the GNC iX data center ensures access to secure network connections to these regions, making it an ideal hub for data transmission and connectivity,” the company said in a press release. “By establishing a dedicated PoP at this data center, Telstra can more robustly serve telcos, enterprises, international government agencies, and other organizations that require wavelength services, Ethernet private lines, IP transit, data center colocation, and managed network connectivity services throughout the Pacific.”
GTA, the data center’s owner, is a locally-owned U.S. company operating under U.S. jurisdiction, and the collaboration enhances network needs that serve cross-border transactions as well as for the U.S. government.
Broadband in Guam
In 2020, 85% of households had a broadband subscription, according to the U.S. Census.
In 2023, the FCC announced that Guam was awarded $383,000 as part of its Affordable Connectivity Outreach Grant Program, and Guam also received $156 million in BEAD funding that same year.
Broadband providers in Guam include Docomo Pacific, TeleGuam (GTA), IT&E, and others.