Meta to invest in largest-capacity subsea cable in Asia-Pacific

Taipei, Oct. 7 (CNA) Meta on Sunday announced an investment in the construction of a submarine cable named Candle, projected to be the largest capacity system in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region with 570 terabits per second (Tbps).

Expected to be completed in 2028, the 8,000-kilometer system will improve connectivity for more than 580 million people in Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the company said in a news release.

Noting that the APAC is home to 58 percent of the world's internet users, Meta also provided updates on three other undersea cable investments in the region, which it said will help deliver its products, services, and artificial intelligence capabilities to billions of people.

Bifrost and Echo, which began construction in 2021 to increase transpacific capacity by 70 percent, are now each delivering 260 Tbps of capacity to connected areas.

Bifrost connects Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and the United States, with a future extension to Mexico expected in 2026, while Echo connects Guam and California, with options for future expansion into Asia, Meta said.

In addition, the 12,000-km Apricot system is currently operational between Taiwan, Japan and Guam, with future extensions planned to the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, complementing Bifrost and Echo with 290 Tbps of capacity, the company said.

Together, the four systems will strengthen intra-Asia connectivity and create transpacific bridges to the Americas, Meta said.

The company added that it will continue building world-class network infrastructure to enhance capacity and resilience, enabling rich online experiences for users worldwide.

This, Meta said, supports its vision of a future where everyone can access AI-powered personal superintelligence and other emerging technologies to improve their lives and connect with one another.