The cable, which is set to be operational by 2027, is the first agreement of its kind between the technology giant and a country, and hopes to improve Chile’s digital links with Asia, especially China, its top trading partner, and support its goal of becoming a tech hub for Latin America.
Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz, said: ‘It’s the first submarine cable in the South Pacific, so it’s an important commitment in that we have an extraordinary strategic partner for a cable that should be operational in 2027.
The cable will connect Valparaíso in Chile to Australia and installation is planned for next year.
Meanwhile, Cristian Ramos, head of telecom infrastructure for Google’s parent company, Alphabet in Latin America, said the cable will also be available to other users, like tech companies working in Chile.
Although the total cost hasn’t been revealed, Chilean officials previously estimated it between $300 million and $550 million, Reuters claimed.
Additionally, Chile will contribute $25 million, according to Patricio Rey, CEO of state-owned partner Desarrollo País.
Officials say the cable could improve services like TikTok, help send astronomical data and support mining in both Chile and Australia.
‘Mining companies that have operations in Chile and Australia, by having a direct route, we can think about a shared command centre.. where the command centres can support each other,’ Deputy Secretary of Telecommunications Claudio Araya, added.
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