The race to build the world's first petabit-class submarine cable is heating up, with Europe, Meta, and Japan each vying to achieve this milestone before 2030. As artificial intelligence and cloud computing continue to drive exponential growth in data traffic, the need for ultra-high-capacity undersea links has never been more urgent. A petabit cable—capable of carrying one petabit of data per second—would represent a quantum leap over existing systems, enabling faster AI model training, real-time data transfers, and massive-scale content delivery.
Submarine cables form the backbone of the global internet, carrying over 95% of intercontinental data traffic. Today’s most advanced cables typically offer capacities of several hundred terabits per second. Moving to a petabit scale—a thousand times larger—requires breakthroughs in optical transmission technology, including advanced modulation formats, spatial division multiplexing, and new amplifier designs. The first cable to achieve this will not only set a technical benchmark but also confer significant economic and strategic advantages.
The European initiative
Europe has emerged as a key player in the race, with the European Commission and several member states backing a plan to build a petabit-capable transatlantic cable. Dubbed the “Euro-Atlantic Petabit Link,” this project aims to connect major data hubs in Europe with the United States, ensuring that European AI companies and research institutions have access to the bandwidth needed to train large language models and other compute-intensive workloads. The cable is expected to utilize next-generation hollow-core fiber, which promises lower latency and higher capacity than traditional solid-core fibers.
European officials argue that the cable is essential for digital sovereignty. Currently, a large share of transatlantic internet traffic flows through cables owned or operated by U.S. tech giants. By building its own high-capacity cable, Europe hopes to reduce dependence on foreign infrastructure and keep sensitive data within its jurisdiction. The project also aligns with the EU's broader goals of boosting competitiveness in AI and quantum computing.
Meta's ambitious plans
Meanwhile, Meta (formerly Facebook) has announced its own petabit-class cable project, code-named “Wavelength.” The cable would span the Atlantic, connecting the U.S. East Coast to Northern Europe, with branching units to Ireland, the UK, and Scandinavia. Meta already owns or co-owns several major cables, including the 2Africa system, but this would be its first petabit-scale endeavor. The company envisions the cable supporting its growing metaverse ambitions, which require ultra-low latency and massive throughput for VR/AR experiences.
Meta's approach leverages its deep expertise in optical networking and its ability to negotiate favorable landing rights. The tech giant has been a driving force behind cable innovations, such as its earlier “Marea” cable, which used innovative open-cable design. For the petabit cable, Meta is exploring the use of multi-core fibers—cables with multiple light-guiding cores within a single cladding—to multiply capacity without increasing the cable's physical footprint.
Japan's technological push
Japan is not far behind, with the government and private sector collaborating on a project called “Nihon Petabit.” Aiming to connect Japan to the U.S. West Coast and potentially to Southeast Asia, the cable would leverage Japanese advances in submarine cable technology, including high-density wavelength division multiplexing and new types of optical repeaters. Japanese engineers have pioneered the use of “space-division multiplexing,” which employs multiple spatial channels to boost capacity.
The Japanese effort is motivated by a desire to maintain leadership in global communications infrastructure and to support the country's own AI ambitions. Japan sees the petabit cable as a way to strengthen its position as a digital hub in Asia-Pacific, attracting international cloud providers and research centers. The project also has strong support from major Japanese electronics and telecom companies, which view it as a showcase for their latest optical products.
AI demand as the catalyst
The primary driver behind all three projects is the explosive demand for data generated by artificial intelligence. Training large AI models, such as GPT-4 or Google's Gemini, requires enormous datasets to be moved between continents. Moreover, inference—the process of running a trained model to make predictions—often relies on real-time access to cloud servers, especially for applications like autonomous driving, medical imaging, and voice assistants.
According to recent industry reports, global internet traffic could grow by 25-30% annually through the end of the decade, with AI-related traffic constituting a growing share. Submarine cable capacity, which currently stands at around 1,200 Tbps globally, would need to more than double to keep pace. Petabit-scale cables are seen as a necessary step to prevent bottlenecks that could slow AI innovation.
Geopolitical implications
The race for the first petabit cable is also a geopolitical contest. Control over undersea cables gives nations significant leverage over data flows, intelligence gathering, and economic competitiveness. The U.S., China, and European powers have long recognized cable infrastructure as critical. With AI now a central arena for technological competition, having the first petabit cable could provide a first-mover advantage in attracting AI talent and investment.
China is notably absent from the petabit race so far, though it continues to expand its own submarine cable networks, particularly through the Belt and Road Initiative. Some analysts suggest that China may skip petabit-generation cables altogether and leapfrog directly to even higher capacities. However, the current lack of Chinese entry in this specific race underscores the intense focus among Western allies and Japan.
Technical hurdles and timelines
Achieving petabit per second capacity over a transatlantic distance (6,000-7,000 km) is no trivial task. Today's state-of-the-art cables achieve around 250-300 Tbps per fiber pair using coherent detection and advanced amplification. To reach a petabit, engineers must combine multiple fiber pairs (e.g., 8-10 pairs) with extremely high spectral efficiency, likely exceeding 15 bits per symbol. New amplification technologies, such as Raman amplification or distributed erbium-doped fiber amplifiers, may be needed to maintain signal strength over long distances.
All three projects aim for completion between 2028 and early 2030. Europe and Meta are both targeting 2029, while Japan hopes to finish by 2028. However, delays are common in undersea cable projects due to permitting, manufacturing bottlenecks, and the complexity of deep-sea installation. The first to market will likely be the one that best navigates these challenges.
Environmental and economic considerations
Submarine cables have an environmental footprint, primarily from the power required for repeaters and landing stations. However, petabit cables are expected to be more energy-efficient per bit than older cables, thanks to advances in optical components. The economic impact is also significant: a petabit cable could reduce bandwidth costs by up to 50%, enabling faster expansion of digital services in developing regions and remote areas.
The cables will also create thousands of jobs in manufacturing, installation, and operation. Both Europe and Japan view the project as an opportunity to stimulate their domestic telecom industries. Meta's project, while private, will still require approvals from multiple governments and could face antitrust scrutiny given the company's size.
Looking ahead
As the decade progresses, the race to petabit-class submarine cables will intensify. Each of the three contenders brings unique strengths: Europe's regulatory and sovereign drive, Meta's deep pockets and technical expertise, and Japan's cutting-edge optical technology. The outcome will shape the future of global internet connectivity and the AI landscape for years to come.
Regardless of who wins, the first petabit cable will mark a turning point in digital infrastructure, enabling applications that today remain in the realm of science fiction. The competition itself is pushing innovation at an accelerated pace, benefiting the entire industry. For now, all eyes are on the Atlantic and Pacific as engineers and policymakers work to lay the foundations for a hyperconnected future.
Source: TechRadar News