Meta to link world with longest subsea cable
Feb. 18 (UPI) -- Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, confirmed plans Monday to build the world's longest subsea cable that will circle the Earth and connect five continents.
Project Waterworth will cost $10 billion to produce and install. The cable measuring 31,000 miles will support Meta's artificial intelligence projects.
"Project Waterworth will bring industry-leading connectivity to the United States, India, Brazil, South Africa and other key regions," Meta wrote in a blog post.
"Project Waterworth will be a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment to strengthen the scale and reliability of the world's digital highways by opening three new oceanic corridors with the abundant, high-speed connectivity needed to drive AI innovation around the world."
There are currently more than 600 underwater cable systems circling the Earth, according to telecommunications market research firm TeleGeography. Subsea cables "account for more than 95% of intercontinental traffic across the world's oceans," Meta said.
Meta's new cable, with 24 fiber pairs to give it higher capacity, would be laid at depths of up to 23,000 feet. It will be buried in high-risk fault areas, including in shallow waters near coasts to protect it from ships and other hazards. Last month, NATO launched a mission to boost surveillance of ships in the Baltic Sea after critical undersea cables were damaged last year.
"This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion and open opportunities for technological development in these regions," Meta said. "These investments enable unmatched connectivity for our world's increasing digital needs."
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