Facebook Is Building 2 New Undersea Cables Called Echo and Bitfrost The cables will provide new connections between the Asia-Pacific region and North America.

By Matthew Humphries

This story originally appeared on PCMag

Facebook has announced it's building two new undersea cables crossing the Java Sea in a bid to increase transpacific capacity by 70%.

The new cables are called Echo and Bitfrost, and they are the first transpacific cables to use a "new diverse route" across the Java Sea, with the end result being direct connections between Singapore, Indonesia, and North America.

Photo: FacebookPhoto: Facebook

As Reuters reports, Facebook is working with a number of local and global partners to build and install the cables. Echo is set to be completed in 2023 and involves Google and Indonesian telecommunications provider XL Axiata. Bitfrost will be completed in 2024 and involves Singaporean conglomerate Keppel as well as Telin, a subsidiary of South African telecommunications provider Telkom.

Related: Facebook Will Crack Down on Groups That Break Its Rules Repeatedly

For Indonesia, the new cable should help to bring more people online using broadband connections rather than relying on mobile data. Facebook already partnered with local telecom network Alita last year to deploy over 3,000km of fiber in 20 cities spread across Bali, Java, Kalimantan, and Sulawesi. For Singapore, the new cable serves two main purposes: it supports Singapore's digital growth and connectivity hub, and benefits Facebook's $1 billion data centerin the region, which it announced back in 2018.

Last week, the UK Royal Navy announced it was building a ship to protect the internet. With the massive investment going into new undersea cables, combined with how vital the internet has become during the pandemic, it won't be surprising if we see other nations deciding to launch their own ships to keep these cables safe.

Matthew Humphries

Senior Editor

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Buying / Investing in Business

Former Zillow Execs Target $1.3T Market

Co-ownership is creating big opportunities for entrepreneurs.

Side Hustle

She Quit Her Job at Trader Joe's After Starting a Side Hustle With $800 — Then She and Her Brother Grew the Business to $20 Million

Jaime Holm and Matt Hannula teamed up to build a business in an industry that "didn't exist" yet.

Business Ideas

70 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2025

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2025.

Starting a Business

A Cambodian Refugee Paralyzed By Polio Says 'Not Much' Was Expected of Him. He and His Wife Built a Multimillion-Dollar Business That Beat All Odds.

Steve and Brittany Yeng were discouraged from pursuing their unique idea, but they didn't listen to the naysayers.

Business News

Barbara Corcoran Finds a Buyer in One Day for Her $12 Million 'Palace in the Sky' Penthouse

Corcoran bought the duplex co-op for $10 million in 2015 and spent $2 million renovating it.