Google Cloud Officials have announced plans to build a massive underwater fiber-optic cable spanning from Myrtle Beach to Argentina, South America, with additional cable landing connections in Brazil and Uruguay.
According to Google, the Firmina subsea cable will be “the longest cable in the world capable of running entirely from a single power source at one end of the cable if its other power source(s) become temporarily unavailable”.
The cable will specifically include 12 fiber-optic pairs that will give South American users ultra-fast, low-latency access to Youtube, Gmail, and Google Cloud services.
According to South Carolina’s WPDE, local Myrtle Beach park officials believe the new project will open the door for economic opportunity around the area.
“Overall, I think it is going to bring opportunities for jobs and better connectivity in the area, the Pee Dee area,” said Paul McCormack, director of SC Parks.
The project is expected to start later this year.