Google's Firmina Cable: US to Argentina Subsea Connection

Google Announces New Subsea Cable Connecting the Americas

Google has revealed its intentions to construct a new subsea cable system. This infrastructure will establish a direct link between the East Coast of the United States and Las Toninas, Argentina.

Further landings are planned for Brazil and Uruguay. The primary objective is to enhance the experience for South American users by delivering faster, more responsive access to Google's range of consumer products and cloud-based services.

Cable Installation and Timeline

The design and installation of this cable will be managed by SubCom. Current projections indicate the cable will be operational by the close of 2023.

Existing Infrastructure in South America

Currently, Google’s sole data center located in South America is situated near Santiago, Chile. This facility is connected to the U.S. West Coast via the Curie cable.

Expanding Google’s Network

The Firmina cable, named in honor of Brazilian abolitionist and writer Maria Firmina dos Reis, will supplement Google’s ongoing investments in regional cable infrastructure.

Existing projects include the Tannat cable, a collaborative effort between Antel Uruguay and Google, which also connects the aforementioned locations. Additionally, the Monet cable links the U.S. and Brazil, while the Junior cable serves various regions within Brazil.

Image Credits: Google

Enhanced Network Resilience and Capacity

This new cable not only increases network capacity but also improves overall resilience for Google’s network. A key technical achievement is the cable’s capability to operate using a single-end power source.

Google explains that data transmission through submarine cables occurs as light pulses within optical fibers. These signals require amplification every 100 km, utilizing high-voltage electrical current supplied at landing stations in each country.

While shorter cable systems can readily utilize single-end power feeding, achieving this with longer cables and a high fiber pair count has presented challenges.

Technical Specifications of the Firmina Cable

To overcome these hurdles, the Firmina cable is engineered with a voltage 20% higher than that of previous cables. This allows for efficient and reliable power delivery across the extended distance.

The Firmina cable consists of 12 fiber pairs, contributing to its increased capacity and performance.