Humboldt Cable
| Humboldt Cable | |
|---|---|
| Owners: Google, Chile | |
| Landing points Valparaíso, Chile | |
| Total length | 14,800 km |
| Date of first use | 2027 (expected) |
Humboldt Cable is a planned fiber optic submarine communications cable that will connect Chile with Australia, becoming the first-ever link between South America and the Asia-Pacific region.[1][2][3]
As of 2025[update], the plan is to build a 14,800-kilometre (9,200 mi) cable from Valparaiso, Chile, to Sydney, Australia, via French Polynesia.[4][5]
History
[edit]The proposal for a direct fiber-optic link between South America and Asia was introduced during Michelle Bachelet's second administration in Chile, between 2014 and 2016.[6] In 2017, Chile's Undersecretariat of Telecommunications (Subtel), with support from the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), conducted a pre-feasibility study with China's Huawei, which identified three possible routes from Chile, all terminating in Shanghai: Auckland–Sydney–Shanghai, Tahiti–Shanghai, and Auckland–Shanghai.[7] These studies identified the Valparaíso-Sydney route as the optimal option.[8][9]
However, a year later, Australia banned Huawei from participating in its planned 5G networks.[10] In 2019, the Chilean government received political pressure from the United States, including a visit from US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, to refrain from contracting Huawei for 5G technology, as part of a Washington campaign "against the Chinese company and the risk of Beijing collecting sensitive data."[7]
In 2021, the Chilean stated-owned enterprise Desarrollo País assumed leadership of the project, launching an international request for proposals the following year to validate the updated system costs. Two years later, a memorandum of understanding was signed with Google, laying the foundation for the partnership.[9][11]
Following the 2024 Leaders' Summit of the Americas Partnership for Economic Prosperity, held in the United States,[3] the partnership was first announced by the Chilean government in January 2024. it stated that the cable would have a capacity of 144 terabytes per second and a lifespan of 25 years.[1] In June 2025, Chile and Google signed an agreement to install the submarine fiber-optic cable. Operations are expected to begin in 2027.[12]
Investment and ownership
[edit]As of June 2025[update], Google has invested between $300 million and $550 million in the project, while the Chilean government had committed $25 million.[1] Desarrollo País and Google will each hold a 50% stake in the joint venture.[13]
Among the benefits, the cable promises more robust and stable internet connections, as well as efficient exchange of scientific data between South America and the Asia-Pacific region.[14] Latin American governments—including Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil— have also expressed interest in participating in the initial phase of the project.[12]
Proposed landing points
[edit]- Valparaíso, Chile[5]
- French Polynesia
- Sydney, Australia
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Godbole, Tanika (5 June 2025). "Chile, Google sign first-of-its-kind deal for undersea cable". DW. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Quigley, Brian (11 January 2024). "Humboldt route to connect Chile, French Polynesia, and Australia". Google Cloud Blog. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b Office of the Spokeperson (11 January 2024). "Welcoming the First Subsea Cable Between South America and the Indo-Pacific Region". United States Department of State. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Wodecki, Ben (19 November 2024). "9 subsea cable projects redefining Latin America's digital future". Capacity Media. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b Batschke, Nayara (4 June 2025). "Google partners with Chile to deploy a trans-Pacific submarine cable". AP News. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "The next steps for Chile's Humboldt cable". BNamericas. 19 March 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "How geopolitics shaped Chile's trans-Pacific cable route". BNamericas. Archived from the original on 3 January 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Cable submarino de fibra óptica de Chile estará listo con anticipación" [Chile's submarine fiber optic cable will be ready ahead of schedule]. Business News Americas (in Spanish). 13 November 2018. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Humboldt Connect: Company in charge of the first submarine cable to cross the South Pacific". EntrepreNerd. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Huawei and ZTE handed 5G network ban in Australia". BBC. 23 August 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ "Humboldt Cable: The Collaborative Effort Between Google and the Chilean Government to Enhance Connectivity Across Latin America". Índice Latinoamericano de Inteligencia Artificial. 4 November 2024. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ a b "Chile-Australia cable set to start operating in 2027". BNAmericas. 5 June 2025. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ Jowitt, Tom (5 June 2025). "Google Partners Chile Trans Pacific Humboldt Cable". Silicon UK. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
- ^ InvestChile (15 January 2024). "Chile to Connect South America and Asia-Pacific with First-Ever Cable". InvestChile. Retrieved 8 June 2025.