Meta Announces Petal: A 4,300-Mile Undersea Fiber Optic Cable
The new transoceanic cable will deliver unprecedented petabit-per-second capacity using innovative multi-core fiber technology.
1Transatlantic Data Infrastructure Expansion
Meta is developing Petal, a 4,300-mile undersea fiber cable connecting the United States and France. Scheduled for a 2029 launch, this infrastructure project aims to significantly enhance transoceanic data transmission. It represents a major leap in global connectivity, designed to support the massive data requirements of modern digital platforms and internet traffic.
2Unprecedented Petabit Capacity Milestone
The Petal cable will be the first to deliver petabit-per-second capacity, effectively doubling the performance of existing subsea cables of similar length. This capacity allows for the movement of 125 terabytes of data every second. Such throughput is theoretically sufficient to enable 75% of the global population to stream music simultaneously.
3Multi-Core Fiber Innovation Explained
Petal utilizes advanced multi-core fiber technology, a first for commercial subsea systems. Unlike conventional strands with a single core, each of Petal's strands features two cores carrying signals in opposite directions. This design allows a single hair-thin strand to provide the capacity that previously required a pair of traditional single-core fiber strands.
4Engineering and Construction Partners
The project involves specialized engineering expertise from Japanese technology firms. NEC is responsible for the overall system design and construction, while Sumitomo Electric supplies the fiber itself. The cable will contain 24 pairs of dual-core fibers, totaling 96 individual cores, which enables the system to carry data equivalent to 48 conventional fiber pairs.
5Signal Amplification and Repeaters
Maintaining signal integrity over 4,300 miles requires approximately 100 repeaters installed at regular intervals. These amplifiers use lasers to boost optical signals across the ocean floor. The system incorporates fan-in/fan-out technology, which routes signals from dual-core fibers into single-core strands within repeaters for independent amplification before returning them to the dual-core path.
6Efficiency Without Increased Power
The integration of dual-core fiber and sophisticated signal routing allows Meta to double data-carrying capacity without a proportional increase in power consumption. This engineering feat optimizes the energy efficiency of the subsea system. By managing signal amplification through specialized optical interfaces, the cable maintains high performance while keeping operational power requirements sustainable.
7Meta's Strategic Subsea Investments
Petal follows a series of significant subsea investments by Meta, including Marea in 2018, Amitie in 2023, and Anjana in 2025. Compared to the Marea cable, which supports 192 terabits per second, Petal will offer more than five times that capacity. These projects reflect Meta's ongoing commitment to controlling its own global network infrastructure.
8Critical Role of Subsea Cables
Subsea cables remain the backbone of the global internet, carrying approximately 99% of international internet traffic. Installing these fragile glass structures on the ocean floor is a complex engineering challenge. As digital demand grows, these high-capacity systems become increasingly vital for maintaining the speed and reliability of global communications and data exchange.