Meta Unveils 'Project Waterworth' - A Massive 50,000 km Subsea Cable Project

Meta, the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, has confirmed details of a major new subsea cable project called "Project Waterworth." This $10 billion+ initiative will span 50,000 kilometers, making it the world's longest subsea cable network.

The cable system will connect five continents, with landing points in the United States, Brazil, India, South Africa, and other key regions. This extensive global reach is a strategic move by Meta to gain more control over the infrastructure that powers its own services.

According to Meta's blog post, the network will enable "digital communication, video experiences and online transactions" - all critical components of Meta's business. Importantly, the cable is also seen as crucial for supporting Meta's AI innovation, especially in fast-growing markets like India.

"Project Waterworth will be a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment to strengthen the scale and reliability of the world's digital highways by opening three new oceanic corridors with the abundant, high speed connectivity needed to drive AI innovation around the world," wrote Meta's VP of engineering Gaya Nagarajan and global head of network investments Alex-Handrah Aimé.

This isn't Meta's first foray into subsea cable projects - the company is already a part-owner of 16 existing networks. However, Project Waterworth will be the first wholly owned subsea cable by Meta, putting it in the same league as tech giants like Google, which has involvement in over 30 different subsea routes.

Geopolitics has also played a role in Meta's decision to build its own infrastructure. The project was mentioned in a joint statement from the U.S. President and India's Prime Minister, with India committing to invest in the maintenance, repair, and financing of the cables in the Indian Ocean region.

Overall, Project Waterworth represents Meta's ambitious plan to take greater control of its global connectivity and position itself as a key player in the world's digital infrastructure. As the company continues to invest heavily in AI and expand its services worldwide, this massive subsea cable network will be a critical backbone supporting its future growth.