Meta is reportedly building a massive underseas cable

Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp owner Meta, the second-biggest driver of internet traffic globally, is in the early stages of building a ~25,000 mile-long underseas cable that could cost as much as $10 billion, according to TechCrunch.

And if to this you said “mamma mia!” – your reaction is similar to that of subsea cable expert Sunil Tagare, who referred to the project as the “mother of all submarine cables.”

Why it matters: If completed, it would be Meta’s first fully owned underseas cable (the social giant is part owner in 16 others). Google is the only other big tech company to wholly own an underseas cable; it’s an owner or part-owner of 33.

The backbone of the internet

Underseas cables are fiber-optic cables laid on the ocean floor and used to transmit data between continents. Around 532 underseas cables totaling 900,000+ miles currently exist, spanning the Atlantic and Pacific oceans (see a map).

These cables power the global internet, carrying more than 95% of all the data that moves around the world. Their ability to transmit multiple terabits of data per second makes it the fastest and most reliable form of data transfer available – just one of these cables can handle millions of people watching videos or sending messages simultaneously without slowing down.

Why is Meta building its own? For the ability to prioritize its own traffic, which its investments in AI is expected to boost, as well as to avoid service interruptions stemming from geopolitical disputes.

• Several times in recent years, subsea cables have been taken down as collateral or direct damage from warfare. Iran-backed Houthi fighters are attempting to damage cables in the Red Sea, while a Chinese ship was recently accused of sabotaging a cable in European waters.
• Meta’s underseas cable route is designed to help the company “avoid areas of geopolitical tension,” a source close to the company told TechCrunch.

👀 Looking ahead… Meta is expected to talk more publicly about the project in early 2025.