It is a huge project that Meta should launch in the coming years. We are thus announcing the deployment of a new submarine fiber optic cable which would circle the globe and meet the needs of the web giant. Let’s take stock.
What are Meta’s plans?
Let us first remember that Meta and its services (Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram) account for 10% of fixed traffic and 22% of mobile flows. Mark Zuckerberg’s group also displays its ambitions in terms of artificial intelligence. Suffice it to say that it has every interest in investing in solid infrastructure to give itself the means to achieve its ambitions.
Meta should therefore build a new submarine fiber optic cable all around the world. This project of more than 40,000 kilometers requires 10 billion dollars of investment. The company would be the sole owner and user.
However, these plans are only in their early stages, and the company is expected to say more publicly in 2025. It will take years to complete this initiative, because the service providers capable of carrying out such projects already have their workbooks. orders well filled.
The cable would in any case be deployed from the east coast of the United States to India via South Africa and from the west coast of the United States from India via Australia. It would thus form a “W” around the globe.
Why would this project serve Meta’s interests?
Our colleagues cite several concrete reasons for deploying this new infrastructure. By having a dedicated cable, the web giant would be able to pamper its users by guaranteeing the quality of service on this traffic, because their business model depends on it.
Likewise, it is of geopolitical interest. While certain players are increasingly threatening submarine cables, by using a safer route, the group avoids areas of tension and takes fewer risks.
Finally, Mark Zuckerberg’s firm plans to develop its data centers in India for AI training purposes. Therefore this submarine cable would then be of obvious interest to the company.
As a reminder, the French state recently decided to nationalize Alcatel Submarine Networks (ASN). This company produces and lays submarine cables. The idea is to benefit from this profitable business, but also to have these strategic technologies. For more information, do not hesitate to reread our previous article here.
