SYDNEY, Australia, June 2, 2026 – Google and Telstra today announced a partnership to enhance the reach, reliability, resilience, and security of Australia and the Asia-Pacific region’s digital infrastructure. This partnership will enable both companies to deliver faster, more secure connectivity for Australians using their deep network infrastructure expertise.

Jointly announced by Bikash Koley, Vice President, Global Infrastructure, Google, and Steven Worrall, CEO, Telstra Digital Infrastructure, the partnership represents a significant step forward in securing Australia's digital and AI future, delivering access to important digital infrastructure that will unlock new economic opportunities and support the modernization of Australian industries.

Specific to terrestrial and subsea connections, Google and Telstra will deliver resilient and secure connectivity across Australia, including:

• Terrestrial fiber infrastructure: Google will secure inter-city dark fiber capacity on Telstra’s new state-of-the-art fiber backbone, the Aura Network. By unlocking new opportunities along some of Australia’s key connectivity corridors, this capacity gives more Australian households and businesses the opportunity to connect faster and more securely with the rest of the world.
• Subsea network integration: Telstra will access Google’s Pacific Connect and Australia Connect initiatives to use subsea fiber pairs on the Tabua, Proa, and Bulikula subsea cable systems. These systems provide Australia with vital connectivity links to Japan, the Pacific Islands, and the United States, reinforcing Australia’s potential as a regional connectivity hub.
• Robust security and resilience: By integrating terrestrial and subsea routes, Telstra and Google will each remove single points of network failure, helping to ensure continuous, secure data flows.

Google has selected Telstra and the Aura Network for this partnership to further advance Google’s AI capabilities in Australia. At the same time, this partnership will enable Telstra to deliver diverse and secure subsea pathways to ensure the nation’s networks are equipped to handle the growing demands of AI applications and workloads.

Google is working toward a future where every local community and business in Australia has access to the very best of its services and AI capabilities. This partnership will help ensure Google’s AI services are underpinned by the same reliability and security that Australians have trusted Google to provide for more than two decades, supported by Telstra’s long-standing leadership in national connectivity and its proven ability to deliver resilient, secure infrastructure at scale.

Strengthening Australia’s digital resilience, capability, and regional connectivity

As AI applications and workloads continue to grow rapidly, the underlying infrastructure must evolve to securely and reliably support data flows not only within Australia, but also across key international corridors. This partnership addresses that need directly. The connective terrestrial and subsea infrastructure will provide redundant routing paths, minimizing the risk of disruptions and ensuring that businesses, government services, and everyday Australians can experience uninterrupted, high-speed connectivity.

“Building digital infrastructure capable of supporting the next wave of AI innovation requires deep collaboration and robust physical networks,” said Bikash Koley, Vice President, Global Infrastructure, Google. “This partnership brings together Google’s global subsea capabilities and network innovations and Telstra’s terrestrial reach to ensure Australians have the secure, high-capacity, and resilient digital services they require to compete globally.”

“This partnership is about enhancing our national capability and ensuring that Australia remains seamlessly connected to the global economy," said Steven Worrall, CEO, Telstra Digital Infrastructure. "The Aura Network is the backbone of Australia’s digital future; connectivity is its lifeblood. With more than 8,000 kilometers already laid across the country and the launch of the Melbourne-Canberra-Sydney coastal routes late last year, the Aura rollout is gathering significant momentum. By also securing fiber pairs along high-demand global routes, Telstra is building resilient, secure, and scalable infrastructure that will power the next industrial revolution in a way that supports sustainable, disciplined growth in the long term.”

“This partnership with Google reflects our shared commitment to Australia and the Pacific at a critical moment, as AI and data-intensive technologies reshape economies. Together, we’re building the AI-ready connectivity that enables communities and regions to participate fully in the digital economy—supporting innovation and reinforcing Australia’s role as a regional enabler for cloud, data, and AI ecosystems across the Asia-Pacific region and beyond,” added Worrall.

About Google
Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful. Through products and platforms like Search, Maps, Gmail, Android, Google Play, Google Cloud, Chrome, and YouTube, Google plays a meaningful role in the daily lives of billions of people and has become one of the most widely-known companies in the world. Google is a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.

About Telstra
Telstra is Australia’s leading telecommunications and technology company, offering a full range of communications services and digital solutions across consumer, small business, enterprise, and government customers. We build and operate Australia’s best mobile network, provide the most extensive reach of any telecommunications network in the country, and connect millions of Australians every day. Our purpose is to build a connected future so everyone can thrive.