Meta is no newcomer to the submarine cable niche. In fact, the social media giant has already developed around twenty of these cables that snake all around the planet to better connect it (especially to its services!). The Waterworth project, however, is the longest and most imposing ever funded by the company, since it stretches over 50,000 km. It will simply be the longest submarine cable in the world.
A cable designed against sabotage
It involves connecting the American East and West coasts with Brazil, South Africa, India, Australia and Indonesia, which are among Meta's high-growth markets. It is therefore vital for the company to ensure that all these Internet users have solid and reliable access to the global network. This project represents an investment of several billion dollars, over several years — a rumor about this famous cable (at the time it was said to be “only” 40,000 km) mentioned a bill of 10 billion.
The cable uses an innovative routing system to maximize its installation in deep waters (up to 7,000 meters). To avoid unpleasant surprises, Meta also uses reinforced protection techniques for shallow waters, where malicious ship anchors can cause damage, as we saw at the end of last year in the Baltic Sea.
The subsea infrastructure of internet cables represents 95% of intercontinental traffic. Suffice to say that there is a real economic stake for Meta to be a major player in this niche. The press release suggests a very active involvement of Meta in the development of the Waterworth project, without saying whether the company will be the owner, which would allow it to prioritize its own content and services. It has stakes in its other cables, which are generally held by operators.
Source: Meta
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