The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) has awarded a feasibility study grant to Malaysia’s Hexa Capital Consultancy to support development of the Malaysia-U.S. (MYUS) submarine fiber optic cable system, which would be the first subsea cable system directly connecting Malaysia and the U.S.

A press release said that Malaysia currently connects to 18 international subsea cable systems, but of those, only the Asia-America Gateway (AAG) club cable connects to the U.S. The MYUS cable is expected to be just over 19,220 km with six landing stations in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. MYUS will also have three landing stations in U.S. states and territories across the Pacific. No details have yet been given about the MYUS cable in terms of planned capacity.

USTDA director Enoh T. Ebong said in a statement that the MYUS cable would add cost-effective digital connectivity capacity and “increase access to reliable and affordable digital services across Southeast Asia, including remote and underserved areas, while creating a secure communications link between the region and the U.S.”