Google is expanding its internet infrastructure by introducing a new subsea cable system called “Nuvem.” This cable adds to Google’s extensive investments in undersea cables, which have included collaborations with other companies such as Unity and Curie. In 2019, Google embarked on its first wholly private subsea cable project with Curie, connecting California to Chile. Additionally, Google introduced the Dunant transatlantic cable in 2021, linking Virginia and France, as well as the Equiano cable connecting Portugal to Africa in September 2022.
The Nuvem cable is set to become operational in 2026, featuring touchpoints in South Carolina, Bermuda, and Portugal. Google is the exclusive financier of this new cable. The choice of the name “Nuvem,” which means “cloud” in Portuguese, reflects the critical role subsea cabling plays in Google’s vast array of services, from enterprise cloud computing to consumer video streaming, all of which require swift data transfers for a seamless user experience. Google continues to expand its network of data centers to facilitate data storage and processing in proximity to end-users. Other major tech companies, including Meta, Microsoft, and Amazon, have also made substantial investments in internet infrastructure projects, collectively accounting for a significant portion of undersea bandwidth.
