Meta is investing heavily in its most ambitious subsea cable project yet, dubbed Project Waterworth. The project aims to connect five major continents and span over 50,000 km, surpassing the Earth’s circumference. Once complete, it will enable industry-leading connectivity to the U.S., India, Brazil, South Africa, and other key regions.
The initiative is expected to boost economic cooperation, digital inclusion, and technological development in these areas. In India, Project Waterworth will help accelerate progress towards a digital economy, supporting the country’s ambitious plans. Subsea cables like Project Waterworth are crucial for global digital infrastructure, accounting for over 95% of intercontinental traffic.
The project is a multi-billion dollar, multi-year investment that will open three new oceanic corridors with high-speed connectivity needed to drive AI innovation worldwide. Meta has previously developed over 20 subsea cables and deployed industry-leading systems with up to 24 fiber pairs. Project Waterworth advances engineering design to maintain cable resilience and enhance speed of deployment.
Meta is using cutting-edge routing techniques, maximizing the cable laid in deep water at depths up to 7,000 meters, and deploying enhanced burial techniques in high-risk areas to minimize damage from ship anchors and other hazards.
As AI continues to transform industries and societies, capacity, resilience, and global reach are essential for supporting leading infrastructure. With Project Waterworth, Meta aims to ensure that the benefits of AI and emerging technologies are available to everyone, regardless of their location.
Source: https://engineering.fb.com/2025/02/14/connectivity/project-waterworth-ai-subsea-infrastructure