Meta's Petabit Subsea Cable to Connect US and France by 2029
The Petal cable will double transatlantic capacity with groundbreaking 2-core fiber technology.
1Petal's unprecedented capacity
Meta's Petal subsea cable will deliver 1 petabit per second (pbps) capacity between the US and France by 2029, doubling current transatlantic capabilities. Spanning 4,300 miles, it uses innovative 2-core fiber technology in a 24 fiber-pair system, equivalent to 48 traditional pairs. This leap from Meta's previous 500 tbps Anjana cable demonstrates rapid infrastructure scaling to meet exploding data demands.
2Technical breakthrough
Sumitomo Electric Industries developed the 2-core fiber with ultra-low signal loss and negligible crosstalk, maintaining performance comparable to single-core fibers. NEC contributed 96-amp repeaters that amplify signals across the cable's length while transitioning between 2-core and single-core configurations. These innovations overcome physical limitations that previously constrained subsea bandwidth.
3Collaborative infrastructure
Meta continues its pattern of strategic partnerships, working with Orange for European landing and NEC for submarine network expertise. This mirrors previous collaborations on the 384 tbps Amitié cable with Microsoft and Vodafone. Orange will handle terrestrial interconnection, leveraging its existing infrastructure to distribute Petal's capacity across Europe.
4Evolution of Meta's network
Since 2018's 192 tbps Marea cable, Meta has systematically increased capacity: 384 tbps with Amitié in 2023, 500 tbps with wholly-owned Anjana in 2024, now targeting 1 pbps with Petal. Each iteration incorporates lessons from prior deployments while pushing technological boundaries in fiber count and core design.
5Industry significance
NEC's Eduardo Mateo calls Petal a "major technological milestone" in global telecommunications. Achieving petabit capacity 25 years after the terabit breakthrough addresses exponential traffic growth. The project reinforces Meta's infrastructure leadership while showcasing partners' specialized capabilities in subsea engineering.
6Operational innovations
Petal's design solves critical challenges: Sumitomo's fiber minimizes signal interference while NEC's repeaters maintain integrity across 4,300 miles. The system uses counter-propagating signals and fan-in/fan-out interfaces at each amplifier. These solutions enable reliable petabit transmission at transatlantic distances.
7Strategic implications
By owning Anjana and leading Petal, Meta shifts from infrastructure partner to primary architect of its transatlantic capacity. This vertical integration provides control over performance and scalability. The investment signals Meta's long-term commitment to supporting massive data flows for its services and customers.
8Future-proofing connectivity
Petal's petabit capacity anticipates next-generation demands from AI, metaverse, and 4K/8K content. Orange's Jean-Louis Le Roux emphasizes how the cable optimizes capacity while ensuring security and resilience. The project sets a new benchmark for subsea infrastructure that will shape global data architecture through the 2030s.
Original article: computerweekly.com — Meta's Petabit Subsea Cable to Connect US and France by 2029