Facebook has announced plans to build two new transatlantic subsea cables to connect the Asia-Pacific region and North America.
Named Echo and Bifrost, Facebook hopes the cables will increase overall transpacific capacity by 70%. As per reports, Echo will be completed by 2023 and Bifrost in the subsequent year.
“While these projects are still subject to regulatory approvals, when completed, these cables will deliver much-needed internet capacity, redundancy, and reliability,” shared Facebook’s Kevin Salvadori and Nico Roehrich in a joint post.
5G growth
The cables will run through a new route through the Java sea and will substantially boost the overall transpacific capacity.
The cables will connect Singapore and Indonesia with North America, and will be a joint exercise between various local and global infrastructure and technology partners. Facebook highlights Singapore’s Keppel and Indonesia’s Telin and XL Axiata in the post.
Terming the Asia-Pacific region as “very important”, the social networking behemoth notes that it already has a working relationship with some of the companies in the region.
Banking on the need for reliable Internet access in the post Covid-19 world, the duo notes that the cable will answer the Asia-Pacific region’s rapidly increasing demand for 4G, 5G, and broadband access.
“The internet has enabled people around the world to remain connected while apart, continue their education, take care of their health, and be productively employed,” they reason adding that the new cables will help support “hundreds of millions of people and millions of businesses.”
Via: ZDNet