Narayan AmmachchiSearch engine giant Google has announced that it had begun building a submarine cable from the East Coast of the United States to Las Toninas, Argentina, with additional landings in Praia Grande, Brazil, and Punta del Este, Uruguay.
Named after the legendary Brazilian writer Maria Firmina dos Reis, the cable system will be the longest in the world, Google claimed in a blog post.
The project will increase internet capacity significantly, accelerating the growth of digital economies across Latin America.
Interestingly, the cable system is capable of running entirely from a single power source at one end of the cable if its other power sources become temporarily unavailable.
The Silicon Valley firm has 16 such projects around the world, most of which have already completed with the remaining under construction.
“With 12 fiber pairs, the cable will carry traffic quickly and securely between North and South America, giving users fast, low-latency access,” Google added.
The internet giant has named the project after Maria Firmina. “With this cable, we’re thrilled to draw attention to her pioneering work and spirit,” Google said.
Firmina, who lived from 1825 – 1917, is a Brazilian abolitionist and author whose 1859 novel, Úrsula, depicted life for Afro-Brazilians under slavery. A mixed-race woman and intellectual, Firmina is considered Brazil’s first novelist.
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