Aloha PTC’26: an inspiring week in Honolulu!
The start of the year marks one of the most important gatherings in the telecommunications industry: the Pacific Telecommunications Council (PTC) conference. In January, OEC headed to Hawaii to join global leaders, innovators, and partners to discuss the future of subsea cables and share our latest developments in subsea cable recovery and recycling.
Represented by our chairman Jayne Stowell, CEO Horst Brockmüller, board member Ernst W. Pieper, and CCO Bobby Melville, the OEC team spent a productive week in Honolulu reconnecting with familiar faces and meeting new people in the industry.
Insights from Submarine Cable Workshop
A high point of the week was the Submarine Cable Workshop, featuring a powerhouse panel including David Coughlan (SubCom), Andrés Irlando (Vocus), Brian Quigley (Google), Bevan Slattery (SUBCO) and Roary Stasko (Telstra International). The discussion centered on the new digital divide and the evolving pain points of our industry.
The workshop highlighted several key trends regarding the global lifecycle of subsea infrastructure:
- Cable retirement looming: The industry is approaching a pivot point as many cable systems reach the end of their operational life. Most submarine cables are designed with a minimum operational life of 25 years.
- A massive scale of decommissioning: Projections show that 850,000 km of retired cable are expected by 2040, with 50% likely to be retired by 2030.
- Subsea network expansion: Roughly 1.6 million new cable kilometres are expected to be added to the seabed by 2040, a 48% increase in total global cable kilometres.
Networking and connection: The PTC Members' Soirée
Beyond the conference rooms, Jayne Stowell, Horst Brockmüller, Ernst W. Pieper, and Bobby Melville were honoured to attend the PTC Members’ Soirée at the Na Lea Terrace. Under the Hawaiian palm trees, our team joined industry peers for an evening of connection and collaboration.
These meaningful interactions in a more personal atmosphere reinforced the importance of partnership as we navigate the evolving subsea cable landscape. It was a pleasure to exchange insights on the future of global connectivity while enjoying the beautiful island setting.
Ending on a high note (and a friendly pitch)
To mark the closing of PTC’26, OEC stayed active. Our own Bobby Melville took to the field for the annual PTC Football Match. While the “Rest of the World” team faced a narrow 5-3 loss, the match was a perfect showcase of the spirit of the PTC community, emphasizing the importance of team dynamics and the strong personal bonds that brace our industry.
Looking forward
OEC returns from Honolulu with fresh perspectives and strengthened connections. The insights gained at PTC’26 reinforce our commitment to building a more sustainable and circular economy, ensuring that the expansion of our digital world doesn’t come at the expense of our environmental responsibility.
We would like to extend our thanks to the Pacific Telecommunications Council for hosting such a significant event, and we are already looking forward to returning for PTC’27!
Aloha🌺
Stay tuned for updates on our upcoming projects, feel free to reach out if you’d like to continue the conversation!
