Meta is preparing to implement an ambitious project that can usher in a new era in Internet infrastructure. The company is reportedly planning a massive undersea fiber optic cable network whose cost is estimated to exceed $10 billion. Although the details of the project have not been officially announced yet, according to the information provided by experts, this initiative of Meta is considered as a long-term investment in digital communication infrastructure. The project, whose official announcement is expected to be made in early 2024, is of great importance both technically and strategically.
This project will be fully owned by the company, unlike existing submarine networks in which Meta is only a partner. Although it is known that the technology giant is currently a partner in more than a dozen submarine networks around the world, the new cable network will be designed exclusively for Meta’s use. Thus, the company aims to create a more stable and reliable infrastructure against the increasing global data demand.
Technological infrastructure and planned route
The planned submarine cable network will cover a total route of approximately 40,000 kilometers. This cable will start from the east coast of the USA and extend to the northern coasts of South Africa, India and Australia. Finally, it is planned to end on the west coast of Australia. The cable network will be designed to avoid geopolitically risky areas such as the Red Sea, South China Sea and the Strait of Malacca. According to experts, this approach was determined to provide a more secure infrastructure against possible outages.
In recent years, submarine cables can be damaged for various reasons such as natural disasters, maritime transport and intentional attacks. The recent cutting of two submarine cables in the Baltic Sea has raised concerns about the security of these infrastructures. Investigations revealed that a Chinese commercial trawler may have cut the cables, possibly in conjunction with Russian intelligence. Meta’s new cable network aims to provide a more resilient structure against such threats.
One of Meta’s main goals in this project is to increase the stability of its services in international markets. The company’s revenue from regions outside of North America accounts for a large portion of its total revenue. Therefore, Meta is expected to increase its infrastructure investments to strengthen its digital ecosystem and provide a faster, seamless experience to its users.
On the other hand, this initiative is considered a remarkable step compared to other technology giants. While Google already has several submarine cable networks of its own entirely, companies like Amazon and Microsoft are involved in such projects only as partners. The fact that Meta will use this cable entirely for its own services can be interpreted as an indication of the company’s efforts to increase its independence in the field of digital communication.
It is stated that the number of contractors to be selected for the implementation of the project is limited and most of them work on existing projects. Therefore, the construction and commissioning of the cable may take several years. It is estimated that Meta will continue to cooperate with local internet service providers and mobile operators in this process.
The successful completion of this huge project will not only strengthen Meta’s position in the digital world, but may also set a new standard in the global internet infrastructure. Especially considering the increasing demand for data, the need for speed and security concerns, such projects are seen as one of the basic building blocks of the digital future.
Source link: https://www.teknoblog.com/meta-internet-kablo-projesi/