Meta To Build Asia-Pacific’s Largest Subsea Cable ‘Candle’ By 2028

Meta has unveiled plans to deploy a massive new undersea cable system named ‘Candle’. The system is likely to become the highest-capacity subsea cable in the Asia–Pacific region when it launches in 2028.

The cable will stretch roughly 8,000 kilometres, linking Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore, according to a company announcement.

With a projected capacity of about 570 terabits per second (Tbps), the infrastructure will likely support over 580 million people across the region.

Meta said the system will incorporate 24 fibre pairs, matching the bandwidth of its largest existing cable, Anjana.

Several regional telecom operators will partner to develop the project.

In addition to introducing Candle, Meta also provided updates on a number of ongoing subsea cable initiatives, including the recent completion of the Bifrost cable system.

The Asia–Pacific region accounts for more than 58 per cent of the world’s internet users. Many of them rely on stable and expansive networks to access online services. These networks are also crucial for adopting emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.

The company highlighted recent progress on the Bifrost, Echo and Apricot cable systems. Bifrost now links Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines and the United States, with an extension to Mexico scheduled for 2026.

Designed to follow a distinct transpacific route, it will add over 260 Tbps of extra capacity to existing connections.

Echo currently delivers 260 Tbps between Guam and California and is designed for future expansion deeper into Asia.

Apricot, which will extend to the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, will span approximately 12,000 kilometres once complete.

With a planned capacity of 290 Tbps, it will work alongside Bifrost and Echo to enhance network resilience and coverage.

Meanwhile, Meta has begun recruiting contractors in the United States, offering up to $55 (around Rs 4,850) per hour to develop Hindi-language AI chatbots tailored for users in India.

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