Google's Next Subsea Internet Cable to Connect Africa and Europe

The company claims "Equiano" will improve the continents' online infrastructure.

Deep Connection

Google announced Friday that the company plans on building its third international, under-sea internet cable.

The company is calling the cable "Equiano" and told Reuters that it expects the cable to be at least partially operational by some time in 2021, when a link between Portugal and South Africa will be completed. The project suggests that, just like Amazon and other tech giants, Google is working to cement its role as the basis for the world's digital infrastructure.

Global Plans

This April, Google completed its first international internet cable, which spans from Chile to Los Angeles, California. Next year, the company plans on finishing a transatlantic cable between France and the U.S., per Reuters.

Equiano is expected to be the first subsea internet cable that will incorporate optical switches at the fiber-pair level, which just means that the signals flowing through the cable will be delivered more efficiently than those through other cables.

READ MORE: Google announces new subsea cable 'Equiano', connecting Africa and Europe [Reuters]

More on internet cables: Microsoft and Facebook’s 4,000-Mile-Long Subsea Cable Has Been Completed