A plan to make the Sunshine Coast a vital internet gateway is luring Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull to the area on Friday to view the proposal in person.

Today four undersea communications cables – essentially industrial-scale fibre optic broadband – come into Sydney, with a fifth one going into Perth, helping connect Australia to the online world.

A plan would bring Australia's sixth undersea communications cable to the Sunshine Coast.

The plan would bring Australia's sixth undersea communications cable to the Sunshine Coast.

The 'submarine' cables link Australia's voice and data traffic to international markets.