Subsea cable infrastructure is undergoing a rapid and sustained expansion, reflecting how important cross-border connectivity has become to the modern economy. Undersea fiber-optic cables already carry the vast majority of international data traffic, enabling everything from cloud computing and video streaming to financial transactions and government communications. As demand for low-latency, high-capacity connectivity increases, the global network is being extended with new routes, higher fiber counts, and upgraded landing stations to support both rising traffic and more distributed digital activity.

Cable developments in the first quarter of 2026 underscore the continued shift toward cloud architectures and data-intensive applications, pushing network operators and hyperscale technology firms to add capacity and diversify paths between markets. Hyperscalers are moving further up the stack — from anchor tenants to builders and landlords — as seen in AWS' Fastnet landings and Google LLC's multi-branch America India Connect. At the same time, the market is actively deconcentrating away from legacy chokepoints and crowded landing clusters, with projects like the WorldLink Suez Canal bypass and new landings in Maryland and San Diego, California, signaling that route diversity is becoming a commercial feature rather than just risk control. Content is increasingly delivered from multiple regions rather than a small number of hubs, encouraging the development of additional regional links and alternative corridors.

Oceanic Tatitlek Telecommunications Enhancement Route (Alaska)

At the end of March, Pioneer Consulting selected Copper Valley Telephone Cooperative Inc. to develop the OTTER subsea cable, connecting Valdez and Tatitlek in Alaska. Pioneer Consulting has been chosen to manage project development, permitting and marine route surveys. The 50-kilometer cable, expected to be operational by late 2027, should significantly enhance connectivity for the small remote communities of Tatitlek and Ellamar. This project adds to Valdez's existing subsea cable infrastructure, which links the city to other Alaskan communities and the contiguous US.

Kunoa North (Hawaii)

In March, Hawaiian Telecom partnered with IT International Telecom Marine SRL to develop the Kunoa North inter-island fiber-optic cable system, aiming to boost connectivity and network resilience across the Hawaiian Islands. The $87 million project will complement the existing southern fiber route and provide gigabit internet access, especially for rural and underserved communities. Scheduled for completion in 2028, the repeater-less cable will add redundancy to Hawaii's digital infrastructure, strengthening the state's subsea network and supporting future connectivity needs.

Fastnet (US-Ireland)

Globalinx Subsea Colocation is developing a new cable landing station near Ocean City, Maryland, intended to host AWS' planned Fastnet subsea cable linking Maryland to County Cork, Ireland. The facility will sit beside Ocean City Municipal Airport and is planned at about 24,000 square feet, with power scalability up to 5 megawatts, aiming to be ready for service in the third quarter of 2027. AWS is expected to be a tenant, and the project would establish Maryland's first subsea cable landing, improving regional connectivity relative to nearby landing concentrations in New Jersey and Virginia.

In Ireland, AWS has applied for permission to build its own cable landing station in Tullyneasky West, Clonakilty, County Cork. The plan involves demolishing two existing buildings and constructing the landing station, plus an ESB Networks substation, switch room, generators, fuel tanks and associated external infrastructure. Fastnet, described as AWS' first private subsea cable, is expected to deliver more than 320 terabits per second (Tbps) when it enters service in 2028.

WorldLink (Europe-Middle East)

Announced in February, WorldLink is a $700 million privately funded data cable connecting Europe and the Middle East, offering 900 Tbps of capacity between the United Arab Emirates and Turkey via Iraq. The UAE-Iraqi consortium includes Tech964 Holding, DIL Technology and Breeze Investments. Construction will span five years, beginning in Abu Dhabi, UAE, with branches linking Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. Designed for carrier-neutral use, it targets international carriers and AI-driven applications, aiming to reduce latency below 100 milliseconds. WorldLink bypasses the crowded Suez Canal route, enhancing regional connectivity and AI infrastructure. The recent war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz may have negative effects on the timeline of the project.

Synapse (Brazil-US)

Digital infrastructure company V.tal - Rede Neutra de Telecomunicações SA announced in January that it is developing the Synapse subsea cable to enhance connectivity between Brazil and the United States. The cable will link Tuckerton, New Jersey, with São Paulo, anchoring at Praia Grande and connecting via a new terrestrial fiber-optic route. Construction is scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026, with completion expected between 2029 and 2030. The 9,700-km, 16-fiber-pair system will also feature a future branching unit in Fortaleza, Ceará, adding approximately 460 km and enabling direct connection to Tecto's Mega Lobster data center. V.tal operates data centers in Brazil and Colombia and has made extensive investments in subsea cables and terrestrial fiber networks, positioning the company as a key player in regional digital infrastructure.

Artemis, Thetis Express (Greece)

Grid Telecom and Vodafone Group PLC are advancing Greece's digital infrastructure by deploying new subsea cables connecting the mainland to Crete. Grid Telecom announced the Artemis cable in January, a 280-km system with a minimum of 24 fiber pairs, offering up to 30 Tbps per pair and potentially reaching capacities of 1 petabit per second. Construction is underway for new landing stations in Chania, Crete and Attica.

Vodafone's Carrier Services unit is building the Thetis Express, a 180-Tbps cable system with segments of 129 and 163 kilometers, connecting Crete, Milos and Athens. The marine survey for this project has begun. Vodafone aims to integrate Thetis Express with the Meta Platforms Inc.-led 2Africa cable network, enhancing global connectivity. With capacity on over 70 subsea cable systems across 100 countries, Vodafone is expanding its role in secure and efficient internet traffic management. Crete remains a strategic hub, hosting a dozen live and planned subsea cables linking it to the Greek mainland.

APX East (Australia-US)

The APX East subsea cable, developed by SUBCO, will establish a direct connection between Sydney and San Diego. Announced in January, the cable will originate from the north of Sydney, specifically landing at NEXTDC Ltd.'s S1/S2 site in Macquarie Park, and terminate in San Diego, which currently lacks international cable landings. Google, however, is constructing a cable landing in San Diego for the Honomoana system, linking San Diego with Australia and New Zealand. The route will be a continuous all-deepwater path with no intermediate landings or interconnections, aiming to minimize latency and accelerate installation by reducing permitting risks. It is planned to be ready for service in the fourth quarter of 2028. Future branches to Hawaii and Fiji are planned after the main route is operational. This line will purportedly be the world's longest single-end powered subsea cable path upon completion.

Unnamed Liberty Networks cable (El Salvador-Panama)

Liberty Networks has been chosen by El Salvador's telecom regulator SIGET (Superintendencia General de Electricidad y Telecomunicaciones) to build the country's first subsea cable, connecting El Salvador to Panama. The project is expected to be operational by the second half of 2028 and marks a significant step in advancing El Salvador's digital infrastructure. Currently, El Salvador relies solely on land-based connections with neighboring countries and lacks direct international subsea links. This investment is anticipated to foster economic growth, innovation and broader opportunities for Salvadorans. Liberty Networks brings extensive experience in managing complex subsea systems across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Intra-Asia Marine Cable (Japan-Malaysia-Singapore)

Announced in January, NTT DATA Group Corp., Sumitomo Corp. and JA Mitsui Leasing Ltd. have created Intra-Asia Marine Networks Co. Ltd. to build and operate a new submarine communication cable, the Intra-Asia Marine Cable. This 8,100-km cable will directly connect Japan, Malaysia and Singapore. The path will provide further connectivity to South Korea, the Philippines and Taiwan, and is expected to be operational in 2029. Using advanced space-division multiplexing technology, the cable will offer a capacity of about 320 Tbps. The project aims to enhance digital infrastructure and connectivity across the Asia-Pacific region, supporting business growth and digital transformation.

America-India Connect (US-India-Africa-Australia-Southeast Asia)

Google announced the America-India Connect subsea cable in February, a new infrastructure initiative to link India with Africa, Australia and Southeast Asia. The project will establish a subsea gateway in Visakhapatnam (Vizag), India, and create three new cable paths connecting India to Singapore, South Africa and Australia. Four strategic fiber-optic routes will enhance network resilience and capacity between the US, India and locations across the Southern Hemisphere. Google is building a direct fiber path between Vizag and Chennai, India, to South Africa, likely landing near Melkbosstrand, according to released images, and another direct path between Vizag and Singapore, possibly connecting with its Bosun system. A direct fiber path between Mumbai, India, and Australia is also planned, with the Australian landing expected near Perth. These investments aim to make Vizag a major international subsea gateway, increasing the resilience of India's digital backbone and improving economic security.

Other developments in Q1

BW Digital Pte. Ltd. announced at the end of March that it successfully landed its Hawaiki Tonga branch cable in Vava'u, Tonga, and is preparing it for commercial service in the coming months, after first unveiling the branch plan in summer 2024 with an initial target of late 2025.

In January, SUBCO announced that the 5,000-km SMAP domestic subsea cable made its final landfall at Maroubra in Sydney, following landings in Perth in June 2025 and Torquay, Australia, in November.

Trans Americas Fiber System Ltd. says TAM-1 landed at María Chiquita, Panama, on Dec. 27, 2025, and expects the 7,000-km system connecting Florida to Central America and the Caribbean to be ready for service later in 2026, with AT&T Inc. as an anchor tenant in US jurisdictions and a reported design capacity of up to 650 Tbps.

GlobalConnect A/S began construction of its Kattegat subsea cable in February, and says the 92-km Sweden-to-Denmark system will be live in 2027, adding two in-line amplifier stations and 288 fiber strands as part of its multiyear Bifrost expansion, originally announced in 2023.

On an unrelated system with the same name, Ciena Corp. and Meta reported a world record trial, transmitting 800 gigabits per second on a single wavelength over an unregenerated 16,608-km Singapore-to-California link on a Meta-owned Bifrost fiber pair, citing higher space and power efficiency and a total fiber-pair capacity of 18 Tbps.

Hydromea SA and Equinor ASA demonstrated real-time seabed to cloud data streaming by combining Hydromea's LUMA free space optical underwater networking with Equinor's DEEPNET and satellite connectivity, enabling a subsea WLAN hotspot of up to 10 megabits per second at depths approaching 6,000 meters.

This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.