Meta confirms the construction of its own submarine cable.
The Meta submarine cable, known as Project Waterworth, will connect five major continents and facilitate high-speed connectivity for innovation in artificial intelligence.
Meta has confirmed that it is working on "Project Waterworth," an ambitious initiative involving a submarine cable over 50,000 kilometers long aimed at connecting five continents. This initiative comes in a context where the company has previously collaborated on other submarine cable projects, but this will be the first time it fully owns infrastructure of this kind.
The cable will make landfall in the United States, Brazil, India, and South Africa, and according to Meta, it involves significant technical innovations. The company claims that Waterworth will represent the longest fiber pair cable project in the world, using innovative routing that will allow the cables to be installed at depths of up to 7,000 meters. This great depth is vital, as it minimizes the risk of permanent damage caused by underwater obstacles, such as boat anchors.
Although Meta has not detailed how the new cable will be used, it has indicated that submarine cables are essential for digital communication, video experiences, online transactions, and other services, emphasizing that high-speed connectivity is key to innovation in artificial intelligence. Additionally, it is estimated that Meta's services and platforms account for approximately 10% of global fixed internet usage and 22% of mobile traffic, suggesting that the company will benefit from a stable connection.
On another note, it is relevant to mention that not only Meta is backing this project. A joint statement issued by the United States and India following Prime Minister Modi's visit to the North American country revealed that India is also financially involved in Waterworth. The country plans to collaborate in the financing, maintenance, and repair of the sections of the cable located in the Indian Ocean.