AI Summary
Meta has unveiled its latest subsea cable project, Petal, which will connect the U.S. and France with a capacity of 1 petabit per second, set to be operational by 2029. This initiative is part of Meta's broader strategy to expand its undersea cable network, which now spans six continents and supports its growing data needs.
- Meta announced the Petal subsea cable on September 21, connecting the U.S. and France with a length of approximately 4,300 miles.
- The Petal cable aims to deliver 1 petabit per second, which is double the capacity of current advanced transoceanic cables.
- Meta claims this capacity could allow three-quarters of the global population to stream music simultaneously.
- The company has invested in over 20 subsea cable projects over the past decade, reaching all continents except Antarctica.
- Project Waterworth, announced for 2025, will stretch over 31,000 miles and connect multiple regions across five continents.
- Meta's 2Africa system connects the African continent to Europe, the Middle East, and South Asia, landing in 33 countries.
- Petal is being developed in collaboration with NEC, Sumitomo Electric Industries, and Orange, while Meta has also partnered with Microsoft on the MAREA cable.
- The costs for Petal and Waterworth have not been disclosed, but estimates suggest Waterworth could exceed $10 billion.
- Meta's total capital expenditures for the year are projected to be between $130 billion and $145 billion.
metasubsea cabledata capacityai infrastructureglobal network