Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is gearing up to build a groundbreaking $10 billion subsea cable spanning over 40,000 kilometers. The ambitious project aims to enhance global internet infrastructure and ensure reliable connectivity for Meta’s services, which account for 10% of all fixed and 22% of all mobile internet traffic.
The subsea cable, entirely owned and operated by Meta, will mark a first for the tech giant. While still in the planning stages, sources indicate the cable will connect key locations globally in a “W” shape—from the U.S. East Coast to India via South Africa and then back to the U.S. West Coast through Australia.
Meta’s investment highlights a shift in the ownership of subsea networks, previously dominated by telecom consortiums, toward Big Tech companies. The project, led by Meta’s South Africa operation, aims to avoid geopolitical risks and ensure uninterrupted data flow.
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Beyond connectivity, experts speculate the cable may support future AI infrastructure in India, a market vital to Meta with its massive user base on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. While operational readiness is years away, this venture underscores Meta’s commitment to strengthening its global reach and infrastructure resilience.
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