Queensland Entrepreneur Unveils World’s Longest Undersea Cable Plan
Synopsis
Google said on Tuesday that it would build a new system of undersea cables to connect its data centres in the United States and Latin America, an ambitious project aimed at wringing more speed and reliability out of the internet infrastructure. The project, named Dhivaru, will connect digital pathways around the Indian Ocean and make faster, more reliable connections possible. Google will also construct two connectivity hubs in the Maldives and on Christmas Island to enable cable switching, as well as store data locally. Although timelines weren’t given, the investment looks to boost resilience for areas across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.
A major Australian undersea cable project is coming after Google said it would build a new subsea cable system that will connect Oman, the Maldives and Christmas Island. The project is part of a broader long-term effort aimed at increasing digital connectivity with the Indian Ocean, and at bolstering reliability for countries that lie in between major global internet routes.
A new line through the Indian Ocean
The new system will be called Dhivaru, the Maldivian term for a rope used to control the main sail on traditional Maldivian boats. The system will be part of Google’s broader Australia Connect project, which aims to increase digital connectivity and decrease the economy’s dependence on a handful of existing paths.
The cable, which will connect Oman, the Maldives and Christmas Island, is intended to establish a shorter route for global internet traffic between Asia, the Middle East, Africa and Australia. That is supposed to add to speed, stability and backup options in the case of outages or disruptions on other cables.
Connectivity hubs in key locations
In addition to the cable, Google will construct two new subsea cable landing stations, places where submarine cables connect with land-based infrastructure, in Addu City (Maldives) and Christmas Island. Such locations are selected due to their location on major data paths within the Indian Ocean. Google says the hubs will help serve “subregions” such as Africa, South Asia, the Middle East and Oceania.
The hubs will not be full data centres. Smaller facilities that will be called edge data centres are not expected to replace traditional, large, centralised hubs like one Apple is proposing for a small Iowa town but instead will handle functions such as cable switching, storing popular content closer to users and hosting the equipment of various network operators. Google says it will also look into local renewable energy sources to run those sites, minimising their environmental impact.
Building on existing cable networks
The Maldives is already home to various international subsea cables such as Peace, Falcon and Sea-Me-We-6, in addition to direct connections with Sri Lanka. Another key cable landing point is Oman, where 20 or more cables land and another 20 are on the way, primarily near Muscat and Salalah.
A new route between these regions and Australian territory will provide more resilient connectivity to the rest of the network in a situation where standard cables may become damaged, as well as additional options for traffic routing on particularly busy stretches. The company has not provided specifics on cable capacity and timelines.
Why this matters
The project illustrates the increasing relevance of digital routes beyond traditional corridors. Companies are spending more on tech infrastructure to spread risk and bring data closer to users as they demand more cloud services, streaming and A.I. connectivity. For Australia, and for our neighbours, the project provides the basis for stronger regional ties, more reliable connections and sustained digital growth across the Indian Ocean.
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At Inspirepreneurs Magazine, covering entrepreneurship, business failures, and the human stories behind the world's most ambitious founders. She writes at the intersection of strategy and storytelling.
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