Meta Dives Into the Undersea Cable Business

Meta has announced Project Waterworth, an undersea cable system it calls “the longest 24 fiber pair cable project in the world.” The initiative aims to enhance global internet connectivity by linking five continents.

A key goal of the project is to support AI innovation by improving data transfer capabilities. Meta believes this infrastructure will help power AI-driven applications and expand access to emerging technologies.

Project Waterworth will cost billions and take years to build

The undersea cable will stretch more than 50,000 kilometers (30,700 miles), longer than the circumference of the Earth. The company did not specify how much time the project would take to complete but did give “multi-year” as a benchmark. Similarly, they gave a “multi-billion dollar” estimate of its cost.

The cable represents “three new oceanic corridors,” Meta Vice President of Engineering Gaya Nagarajan and Global Head of Network Investments Alex-Handrah Aimé wrote in a blog post.

Meta says its routing technology was the first of its kind and maximizes the amount of cable laid in deep water. At its deepest, Project Waterworth will run up to 7,000 meters (22,966 feet, or more than 4.3 miles) below the ocean’s surface. It will connect the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, India, and Australia.

The proposed route of the undersea cable touches five continents. Image: Meta

The growing demand for AI data and infrastructure may have contributed to the plans for the project.

“As AI continues to transform industries and societies around the world, it’s clear that capacity, resilience, and global reach are more important than ever to support leading infrastructure,” Nagarajan and Aimé wrote. “With Project Waterworth we can help ensure that the benefits of AI and other emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of where they live or work.”

Undersea fiber-optic cables enable data to be transmitted between continents separated by the ocean. Meta has laid more than 20 undersea cables, many of which use 24 fiber pairs instead of the standard 8 to 16 fiber pairs used in other contemporary cables.

Meta laid off 5 percent of its staff

On Feb. 10, Meta cut 5 percent of its workforce, laying off employees from across the company. Meta initially stated only employees with low internal performance ratings were cut. However, leaked internal guidance and employee anecdotes revealed that employees in relatively higher performance tiers were also included in the layoffs.

Note: A previous version of this article stated the government of India would contribute financially to the project. India’s undersea cable projects are separate, although Meta’s cable will touch India.

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