Meta Announces 'Project Waterworth' - Massive Subsea Cable Project

Meta Announces Project Waterworth: A Global Subsea Cable Initiative

Last November, initial reports surfaced indicating that Meta – the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp – was nearing the announcement of a substantial new subsea cable project. With billions of users representing 10% of all fixed and 22% of all mobile internet traffic, Meta’s objective was to enhance control over its service delivery.

Today, Meta has officially confirmed these details. Project Waterworth is the designated name, and upon completion, it will extend for 50,000 kilometers, establishing a new record as the world’s longest subsea cable system.

Extensive Global Connectivity

Consistent with earlier information, the network will span five continents. Landing points are planned for the United States, Brazil, India, South Africa, and other strategically important locations. Meta specifically emphasizes the opportunities presented by India and the network’s crucial role in the global deployment of its AI services.

The network’s architecture will represent a significant advancement, utilizing 24 fiber pair cables. Furthermore, it will incorporate pioneering routing techniques, maximizing cable deployment in deep-water environments – reaching depths of up to 7,000 meters – alongside innovative burial methods to minimize potential faults in areas identified as “high risk,” due to geographical challenges or political considerations.

Geopolitical Influences and Strategic Partnerships

Geopolitical factors have demonstrably influenced Meta’s decision to invest in its own subsea infrastructure. This influence is clearly evident in the project’s development.

A joint statement released by the White House on Thursday, featuring U.S. President Trump and India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, outlined areas of cooperation between the two nations. Within this document was a commitment to collaborative development of undersea technologies as part of a defense partnership. It also acknowledged Meta’s 50,000-kilometer Waterworth project and India’s contribution to its financing.

The statement highlighted that “India intends to invest in maintenance, repair and financing of undersea cables in the Indian Ocean, using trusted vendors.” This commitment underscores the strategic importance of the project to both countries.

Driving AI Innovation and Future Applications

The anticipated applications of this cable system include enhanced digital communication, improved video experiences, and streamlined online transactions. This is according to a blog post authored by Meta’s VP of engineering, Gaya Nagarajan, and its global head of network investments, Alex-Handrah Aimé.

Project Waterworth represents a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment designed to bolster the scalability and reliability of global digital networks. It will open three new oceanic corridors, providing the high-speed connectivity necessary to fuel AI innovation worldwide.

Meta’s Expanding Subsea Infrastructure

This is not Meta’s initial foray into subsea cable projects. The company is already a partial owner of 16 existing networks, including the 2Africa cable encircling the African continent, alongside other carriers like Orange, Vodafone, and China Mobile.

Notably, this new project will be the first subsea cable system wholly owned by Meta. This positions Meta alongside Google, which has involvement in 33 different routes, including some where it holds sole ownership.

Other major technology companies, such as Amazon and Microsoft, participate as part owners or capacity buyers in subsea cables, but currently do not wholly own any routes themselves.