Two infrastructure companies from Chile and Singapore are preparing to build the first submarine internet cable to dock off the coast of Antarctica.
The result of a partnership between Desarrollo País and H2 Cable, a subsidiary of BW Digital, the Humboldt Cable will run 15.000 km from Chile to Australia, with branches that will land in New Zealand and two islands off the Chilean mainland.
However, it is significant that there will also be a 2.000 km branch connecting Antarctica, which is currently the only continent that does not benefit from the higher speeds and capacity that submarine cables allow.
Connect Antarctica
According to a 2021 research article, cited by The Register, Antarctica's Scott Base and McMurdo Station currently suffer from an extreme lack of network capacity, "insufficient even to be considered broadband."
"A summer population of up to 1000 people share what is equivalent to the connection enjoyed by a typical family of three in the United States," wrote Peter Neff, author of the report.
Bringing the Humboldt cable to Antarctic shores would reduce reliance on slow and spotty satellite internet, giving those who live and work in the region access to a cable connection for the first time.
Presumably, the new connection will be particularly advantageous for researchers operating outside the region, who might currently have difficulty transmitting large amounts of data to collaborators in other parts of the world, for example.
The cable will also be of great importance to residents of South America, who will benefit from a significant increase in capacity.
“The Humboldt Cable will be the most important subsea infrastructure connecting South America, paving the way for the deployment of critical data centers, AI and other data-driven technologies to help put Chile on the digital map,” said H2 and Development. Country.
As it stands, the route and timeline have been formalized, but the two companies are still courting potential investors before launching the acquisition and engaging with stakeholders at the sites.
Via The Register (Opens in a new tab)