Meta Plans $10 Billion Global Undersea Internet Cable

Mobile security is swiftly shifting from a reactive to a predictive strategy. As companies face increasingly sophisticated threats including data privacy, social engineering, unconventional entry points, and ransomware, they must adopt proactive measures.

Meta’s Monumental Project

Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is planning an enormous venture: constructing a global submarine fiber optic cable. According to submarine cable expert Sunil Tagare, the project’s cost could top $10 billion.

A Complex and Lengthy Construction

The implementation of this project is no small feat. Only a few companies worldwide are capable of executing such a massive undertaking, and many are already occupied with other projects. If realized, it would take several years to lay and activate the cable.

A Dedicated Infrastructure for Meta

Meta already holds stakes in over a dozen submarine networks. However, this would be the first time the company would fully own and operate such a network. For context, Google owns a few of its cables, while Amazon and Microsoft do not own any but are co-owners in others. TechCrunch reports that Meta would be the sole user of its cable, aligning with the fact that the company and its services account for about 10% of global fixed internet usage (and about 22% of mobile traffic).

A Secured Route

The planned cable would start from the East Coast of the USA, stretch to South Africa, then to India and the northern coast of Australia, before reaching the West Coast. The total length could be at least 25,000 miles. Tagare notes that the route would avoid major failure points such as the Red Sea, the South China Sea, Egypt, Marseille, and the straits of Malacca and Singapore, as well as numerous geopolitical hotspots.

This ambitious project by Meta once again demonstrates the tech giants’ desire to control their infrastructure and secure their future in an increasingly connected world.