Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is investing over $10 billion to build a subsea fiber-optic cable that will span more than 40,000 kilometers.
This marks the first time Meta will fully own a subsea cable network, expanding its global infrastructure.
The project, still in its early stages, aims to improve data traffic capacity between continents and provide Meta with dedicated resources to support its massive user base.
The proposed cable will connect the east coast of the U.S. to India, pass through South Africa, and return to the west coast of the U.S. via Australia, forming a “W” shape.
It is expected to help Meta secure a more reliable data pipeline for its services, as demand for data grows globally, particularly with the rise of AI technologies.
Meta has previously been involved in subsea cable projects as a co-owner but this new initiative will allow the company full control over the infrastructure.
The cable is also seen as a move to avoid areas of geopolitical instability, which have affected other subsea cables in recent years.
