Meta Expands Subsea Cable Project to Boost APAC Connectivity

Meta has announced a new subsea cable project, "Candle," to increase connectivity in the Asia Pacific region. The cable will connect over 580 million people with 570 terabits per second capacity, spanning 8,000 kilometers. This project is part of Meta's broader vision to bring personal superintelligence to everyone, which requires faster and higher-capacity internet access.

Meta has announced a significant expansion of its global connectivity infrastructure with the launch of the "Candle" subsea cable project. Scheduled for completion by 2028, Candle is set to connect over 580 million people across Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, spanning approximately 8,000 kilometers. The project aims to provide an estimated data capacity of 570 terabits per second (Tbps), making it the largest-capacity subsea cable in the Asia-Pacific region Meta to Launch Asia-Pacific’s Largest Subsea Cable ‘Candle’ by 2028^[1].

The Candle project leverages advanced 24-fiber-pair technology, similar to that used in Meta's highest-capacity cable, Anjana. This technology ensures higher bandwidth and improved efficiency, crucial for supporting the growing demand for data-intensive applications and emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) Meta unveils Candle subsea cable and expands Asia-Pacific connectivity projects^[2].

Meta's broader vision for the project is to enhance digital connectivity across Asia-Pacific, a region that accounts for over 58% of the world's internet users. By providing faster and more reliable internet access, Candle will support economic growth and innovation in the region Meta unveils Candle subsea cable and expands Asia-Pacific connectivity projects^[2].

In addition to Candle, Meta has also announced updates to its ongoing subsea infrastructure projects. The Bifrost system, which connects Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States, has been completed and will be extended to Mexico in 2026. This system will add more than 260 Tbps of capacity along a new transpacific route, improving redundancy and reliability for global data traffic Meta to Launch Asia-Pacific’s Largest Subsea Cable ‘Candle’ by 2028^[1].

Another major Meta-backed cable, Echo, currently provides 260 Tbps of capacity between Guam and California, with future links planned into Asia. The 12,000-kilometer Apricot system, connecting the Philippines, Indonesia, and Singapore, will complement both Bifrost and Echo with an additional 290 Tbps of bandwidth Meta to Launch Asia-Pacific’s Largest Subsea Cable ‘Candle’ by 2028^[1].

These developments are part of Meta's long-term strategy to create a robust and scalable global network. By working with partners across the telecommunications sector, Meta aims to deliver faster and more reliable access to its platforms and services, supporting the growing demand for data and the adoption of AI-driven applications Meta unveils Candle subsea cable and expands Asia-Pacific connectivity projects^[2].