Chile and Google Sign Deal for Direct Fiber-Optic Link to Asia-Pacific

On June 4, 2025, Chile’s government and Google formalized an agreement to build the Humboldt Cable, a submarine fiber-optic line that will directly connect South America and the Asia-Pacific region.

This project, first outlined in 2016 and developed through public-private partnership, will run 14,800 kilometers from Valparaíso, Chile, to Sydney, Australia, with a stop in French Polynesia.

The Humboldt Cable marks the first direct digital route between these continents. The estimated investment for the cable stands between $300 million and $550 million.

Chile will provide $25 million, while Google and other partners will supply the rest. The cable will offer a transmission capacity of 144 terabytes per second and is designed for a 25-year lifespan.

Construction is set to start in 2026, with commercial operations planned for 2027. The Humboldt Cable is a joint effort involving Google, Chile’s state infrastructure fund Desarrollo País, and the Office of Posts and Telecommunications of French Polynesia.

The project aims to position Chile as a digital gateway for Latin America, strengthening its role in global data flows. The cable will not be exclusive to Google; other companies and sectors, including banking and mining, will have access to its capacity.

A Digital Bridge from South America to Asia-Pacific

Currently, South America’s digital connections to Asia and Oceania depend on cables routed through North America. The Humboldt Cable will reduce latency, making data transfer faster and more reliable.

This improvement will benefit industries that rely on quick data transmission, such as financial services, cloud computing, and telemedicine.

The project’s technical development included feasibility studies funded by the Development Bank of Latin America and input from Japanese company NEC.

SubCom, a leading supplier of undersea cable systems, will manage construction. The cable will also integrate with Google’s existing infrastructure in Chile, including its data center in Quilicura and the Curie subsea cable to the United States.

Chilean officials have underlined the cable’s strategic value. It will diversify digital routes, enhance resilience against outages, and support Chile’s trade links—especially with China, its largest trading partner.

The Humboldt Cable reflects Chile’s ambition to lead in digital connectivity and secure a stronger position in the global data economy.

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