Meta plans 50,000 km undersea cable connecting Africa, others

Facebook’s parent company, Meta, has announced plans to deploy a 50,000-kilometre undersea cable system spanning five continents to enhance global data transmission, including for artificial intelligence applications.

The company said the cable would connect the United States, South Africa, India, Brazil, and other regions, aiming to strengthen international connectivity and support the growing demand for AI-driven technologies.

The big tech made this disclosure in a blog post seen on Tuesday. However, it did not disclose a timeline for the project’s completion.

Meta stated that global digital communication relied on an extensive network of undersea cables, with approximately 1.2 million kilometres already installed, according to a 2024 report by the US-based Centre for Strategic and International Studies.

It added that these cables formed the backbone of internet infrastructure, carrying vast amounts of data across continents.

A part of the post read, “Project Waterworth will bring industry-leading connectivity to the US, India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions. This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions.

“For example, in India, where we’ve already seen significant growth and investment in digital infrastructure, Waterworth will help accelerate this progress and support the country’s ambitious plans for its digital economy.”

The company explained that undersea cables were typically made up of multiple fibre-optic strands encased in armoured sheaths to protect them from environmental damage. It noted that many of these cables were buried several meters beneath the seabed for additional security.

Meta said the new cable project was designed to strengthen global connectivity and accommodate the increasing need for high-speed data transmission, particularly for AI-driven services and cloud computing.

The company added, “We’ve driven infrastructure innovation with various partners over the past decade, developing more than 20 subsea cables.

“This includes multiple deployments of industry-leading subsea cables of 24 fibre pairs—compared to the typical 8 to 16 fibre pairs of other new systems.”