Meta builds longest subsea cable for global connectivity

Meta has announced its most ambitious subsea cable project to date: Project Waterworth. Spanning over 50,000 km, this initiative will connect five major continents, surpassing the Earth’s circumference in length

Once completed, it will be the longest subsea cable project globally, utilising the highest-capacity technology available.

Project Waterworth is set to redefine global connectivity, linking the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions. This large-scale investment aims to drive economic collaboration, promote digital inclusion, and create new technological opportunities. In India, where digital infrastructure has experienced rapid growth, Waterworth will accelerate progress and support the country’s vision for an advanced digital economy.

Powering global connectivity

Subsea cable networks, such as Project Waterworth, form the backbone of global digital infrastructure, facilitating over 95% of intercontinental traffic. They enable seamless digital communication, high-quality video streaming, and secure online transactions worldwide. As a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment, Waterworth will establish three new oceanic corridors, delivering high-speed, reliable connectivity to fuel AI-driven advancements across industries.

Meta has been a pioneer in infrastructure innovation, collaborating with global partners to develop over 20 subsea cables over the past decade. These projects include multiple 24 fiber pair cables, significantly exceeding the 8 to 16 fiber pairs found in most new systems. Such advancements meet the growing demand for high-performance digital connectivity.

With Project Waterworth, Meta is pushing engineering boundaries to enhance cable resilience and optimize deployment speed. It will be the longest 24 fiber pair cable ever built, leveraging deep-sea routing—at depths of up to 7,000 meters—and advanced burial techniques in shallow, high-risk zones. These measures protect against potential damage from ship anchors and other environmental factors.

AI is revolutionising every aspect of our lives, from how we interact with each other to how we think about infrastructure – and Meta is at the forefront of building these innovative technologies. 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.

Project Waterworth reinforces Meta’s commitment to expanding global connectivity, ensuring sustainable, high-capacity infrastructure to support the next generation of AI-driven innovations.