Meta is expanding its undersea cable network with Petal, a roughly 4,300-mile transatlantic link between the U.S. and France that will enter service in 2029 and deliver petabit-scale capacity, effectively doubling current transoceanic bandwidth.

Petal’s two-core fiber design translates to about 75% of the world’s population potentially able to stream music simultaneously, enabling far higher data flow without a proportional rise in power or physical infrastructure.

The submarine cable push is massively expensive, with Waterworth estimated at over $10 billion and Meta’s total capital expenditures projected to reach up to $145 billion for the year, underscoring the scale of its hardware-led AI strategy.

Meta continues to blend partnerships with international telecoms and rivals on existing cables while moving toward greater direct ownership of new projects.

Meta bets heavy upfront investment in global subsea cables will bolster its AI and consumer services by boosting data flow and cutting latency, even as financial returns are yet to be proven.

Waterworth will be wholly owned by Meta, marking its third cable to be fully owned and signaling a move toward more self-reliant critical infrastructure.

The broader strategy shows Meta expanding ownership of underwater networks, with Waterworth positioned as a centerpiece of its centralized data pathways.

Meta’s subsea footprint spans more than 20 projects across six continents, with Project Waterworth planned to exceed 31,000 miles and connect regions including the U.S., Brazil, South Africa, and India.

Project Waterworth, announced in early 2025, will involve long, deep-sea segments designed for safety and durability, and culmination in a wholly Meta-owned system.

Meta’s global subsea ambitions emphasize connectivity across six continents (excluding Antarctica) as a core strategic asset.

The seafloor strategy supports mass data transfers for services like Muse, Meta’s personal AI, which launched in September and quickly topped app charts.

Petal and other subsea upgrades are aimed at enabling large-scale data movement for AI models and consumer apps, potentially allowing three-quarters of the global population to stream music simultaneously.