# Meta’s Petal Cable to Double Transatlantic Data Capacity

Canonical URL: https://www.teknalyze.com/news/petal-subsea-cable/
Published: 2026-09-23
Updated: 2026-09-23
Author: Sophia Chen
Section: QuickFeed
Categories: QuickFeed, Cloud
Primary topic: Meta, Petal Cable, NEC Corporation, Sumitomo Electric, orange france
Source: Tom’s Hardware
Source URL: https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/metas-new-transoceanic-undersea-cable-boasts-a-whopping-petabit-of-bandwidth-petal-link-between-us-and-france-will-be-twice-as-fast-as-the-last

## Summary

Meta has unveiled Petal, a groundbreaking subsea cable system designed to connect the United States and France with a capacity of 1 petabit per second (Pbps). Spanning approximately 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles), Petal is set to enter service in 2029, marking a significant advancement in global internet infrastructure.

## Key points

- The introduction of Petal addresses the growing demand for high-capacity, reliable internet connections between continents.
- Subsea cables are responsible for carrying approximately 99% of intercontinental data traffic, making their capacity and resilience critical for global communications.
- This leap is achieved through the innovative use of two-core fiber technology, which allows each fiber strand to carry two independent optical transmission paths.

## Why it matters

As Petal is scheduled to become operational in 2029, the industry will be closely monitoring its deployment and performance. The success of this project could pave the way for similar initiatives, potentially leading to further advancements in subsea cable technology and global connectivity.

## Article

Meta has unveiled Petal, a groundbreaking subsea cable system designed to connect the United States and France with a capacity of 1 petabit per second (Pbps). Spanning approximately 7,000 kilometers (4,300 miles), Petal is set to enter service in 2029, marking a significant advancement in global internet infrastructure.

### Doubling Transatlantic Data Capacity

Petal’s 1 Pbps capacity represents a substantial increase over existing transatlantic cables. For context, Meta’s previous highest-capacity cable, Anjana, offers 0.5 Pbps. This leap is achieved through the innovative use of two-core fiber technology, which allows each fiber strand to carry two independent optical transmission paths. As a result, Petal’s 24 fiber pairs effectively function as 48, doubling the data capacity without a proportional increase in physical infrastructure or power requirements.

### Technological Innovations and Partnerships

The development of Petal involved collaboration with several key industry players. NEC Corporation is responsible for the overall design and construction of the two-core system, while Sumitomo Electric Industries supplies the two-core optical fiber. Orange, a French telecommunications company, will manage the cable’s landing on France’s Atlantic coast and its integration into the European network.

This partnership leverages NEC’s expertise in subsea cable systems and Sumitomo Electric’s advancements in multi-core fiber technology. Eduardo Mateo, Chief Strategy Officer of NEC’s Submarine Network Division, highlighted the significance of this achievement, stating, “Achieving petabit-per-second capacity across a transoceanic submarine system represents a major technological milestone in the history of global telecommunications.”

### Implications for Global Connectivity

The introduction of Petal addresses the growing demand for high-capacity, reliable internet connections between continents. Subsea cables are responsible for carrying approximately 99% of intercontinental data traffic, making their capacity and resilience critical for global communications. By doubling the available bandwidth between the U.S. and Europe, Petal is poised to enhance data transmission speeds, support the expansion of cloud services, and facilitate the increasing data needs of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things.

### Environmental Considerations

An important aspect of Petal’s design is its efficiency. By doubling capacity without a proportional increase in physical materials or power consumption, the cable minimizes its environmental footprint. This approach aligns with Meta’s commitment to sustainable infrastructure development and sets a precedent for future subsea cable projects.

### Looking Ahead

As Petal is scheduled to become operational in 2029, the industry will be closely monitoring its deployment and performance. The success of this project could pave the way for similar initiatives, potentially leading to further advancements in subsea cable technology and global connectivity. Stakeholders will also be attentive to the integration of Petal into existing networks and its impact on data routing and redundancy strategies.

In summary, Meta’s Petal subsea cable represents a significant leap in transatlantic data capacity, driven by technological innovation and strategic partnerships. Its deployment is set to enhance global connectivity, support the growing demands of digital services, and contribute to the ongoing evolution of internet infrastructure.

## Source

[Tom’s Hardware](https://www.tomshardware.com/networking/metas-new-transoceanic-undersea-cable-boasts-a-whopping-petabit-of-bandwidth-petal-link-between-us-and-france-will-be-twice-as-fast-as-the-last)