Meta Planning to Build $10B Global Subsea Cable Project
As reported by TechCrunch, Meta plans to construct a massive, privately owned subsea cable network costing over $10 billion. This global network, a first for Meta, aims to enhance data transfer reliability and speed for its services, particularly outside North America.
The project addresses geopolitical risks by avoiding conflict zones and aims to support Meta's growing AI infrastructure, potentially focusing on India's burgeoning market.
While still in the early stages, the project highlights a broader trend of big tech companies taking greater control over their global internet infrastructure. The cable's completion is years away due to logistical challenges and existing demand for subsea cable construction.
A $10 Billion Project
Subsea cables are fibre-optic cables that run along the ocean floor. They're how information travels across the internet between continents. Building a new subsea cable is a huge project. Sources say Meta's new cable will stretch over 40,000 kilometres and could cost over $10 billion. That's a lot of money, but Meta thinks it's worth it.
Meta's First Wholly Owned Cable
This will be the first subsea cable that Meta owns completely. The company already owns parts of 16 other subsea cable networks. But this new cable will be all Meta's. That means Meta will have complete control over how it's used.
Why Does Meta Want Its Own Cable?
There are a few reasons why Meta wants to build its own subsea cable:
- More Capacity for Meta's Platforms: Meta makes most of its money outside of North America. Its own cable will make sure that users in those markets have a good experience on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.
- Avoiding Geopolitical Risks: Subsea cables are sometimes damaged in conflicts. Meta's new cable will be routed to avoid areas where this is likely to happen. This will help keep Meta's services running smoothly.
- Potential for AI Development in India: Some experts think Meta might use this cable to connect to data centers in India. India is a big market for Meta, and it has a lot of potential for AI development.
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