Meta Launches Largest Subsea Cable Project in History

After undertaking initial research on the project late last year, Meta’s has now officially announced its latest subsea cable initiative, with this one set to be its largest connective effort yet.

Meta’s newest project is called “Waterworth” and will eventually connect five major continents, and span over 50,000 km, making it the world’s longest subsea cable project.

As explained by Meta:

“Project Waterworth will bring industry-leading connectivity to the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions. This project will enable greater economic cooperation, facilitate digital inclusion, and open opportunities for technological development in these regions.”

As noted, reports of the project first begin circulating late last year, with initial estimates placing the cost of the project at around $10 billion.

Which, considering that Meta’s projecting that it will spend up to $70 billion on infrastructure in 2025 alone, is probably not that significant in the scheme of things.

But it is a massive undertaking, which will give Meta significantly more capacity to expand its usage and utility, particularly in regards to AI, which requires significant computing resources.  

Indeed, Meta notes that expanded AI usage is a key focus of 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. 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.”

That’s particularly important for the Indian market, where Meta is targeting its next billion users. India is already the leading usage market for Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, and as connectivity continues to evolve in the region, so too will Meta’s expansion opportunities.

Which is why it needs to ensure greater connectivity between its key data centers and India, while Waterworth will also increase Meta’s linkage to Africa, the next key developing region.

The project will be Meta’s 21st subsea cable project, making it a key leader in digital connectivity and capacity in the world.

Which also comes with a level of risk, in leaving the connectivity of certain regions in the hands of a private company, though Meta would also have to reach agreements with the respective governments in each region to ensure free access to such infrastructure.

But even so, it is a consideration, especially given the Trump Administration’s more recent moves to leverage America’s power and influence over global trade, in various ways, to gain the upper hand in geopolitical negotiations.

And when you also consider the TikTok ban push, there is also a level of risk in an American company in charge of data flow to such a degree.

Again, this would all be factored into the broader approval process, but given the increasing reliance on such infrastructure, there is a question as to whether private organizations should be funding such at all.

But, they are, and Meta’s now moving ahead with the next phase of the project.