Published: May 2025
Source: Bury Cables
In March 2024, Meta launched Project Waterworth—a $10 billion investment in the world’s longest submarine fiber-optic cable system. This project has major implications for fiber optics, Instrumentation Cables, Coaxial Cables, and even Fire Resistant cables, setting new performance, resilience, and standardization expectations across the globe.
Meta's specifications require high-capacity, low-attenuation fiber supporting:
24 fiber pairs
500+ Tbps throughput
Ultra-long repeatered spans
Manufacturers are responding by producing:
ITU-T G.654.E compliant optical fiber
Pure silica core for improved macro-bending
Ribbon fiber types used in Armoured Data Cables
Vendors like Corning and Prysmian are expanding capacity, affecting demand for standard cables including RS485 Cables and EN 50288 - 7 Cables.
Submarine cables require exceptional durability. Innovations now include:
Dual-layer steel wire armor
Gel-filled loose tubes, similar to those in Instrumentation Cables
Pressure-resistant polyethylene jackets
For coastal zones, lightweight aluminum-polymer laminates improve corrosion resistance, an approach also used in XP C 32 - 321 French Standard cables.
Project Waterworth integrates open cable designs that support:
Non-proprietary SDM-compatible systems
Modular branching units
AI-ready low-latency architectures
This challenges legacy systems and encourages compliance with updated standards like AS/NZS Standard cables and BS 6387 CWZ fire resistant cables.
To meet production demands, cable factories are upgrading:
Multi-core drawing towers for long continuous runs
OTDR-based quality monitoring
Testing labs simulating subsea conditions
These upgrades support advanced Coaxial Cables, Power & Control cables, and new variants of Fire Resistant CAT6.
Meta’s investment creates opportunities for:
Suppliers of fiber reinforcement like aramid yarns
Developers of splicing tools for ribbon fiber
Secure optical transceiver module providers
Engineering firms deploying infrastructure based on Railway Cables MVB/WTB standards
With AI, cloud computing, and fintech relying heavily on submarine fiber systems, innovation in Instrumentation Cables, Fire Resistant cables, and standard-compliant data cables is vital. Meta’s Project Waterworth is not just a corporate milestone—it’s a catalyst for transformation across the fiber cable supply chain.
© 2025 Bury Cables. For more on Fire Resistant, Standard, and Instrumentation Cables, visit www.burycable.com.
