Google said the Americas project aims to increase the reach, reliability and resilience of connectivity infrastructure through different subsea routes linking geographically separate Google Cloud regions. Photo by Godofredo A/ Vasquez/EPA
Aug. 12 (UPI) — Google announced an expansion of its digital infrastructure in the Americas with three new subsea cable systems that will connect South America and the Caribbean with the United States and Europe.
The Dominican Republic serving as a central hub of the new network.
The Alisios, Canoa and OlaLuz systems, along with a new branch of the Firmina cable and Google’s previous investments in the Curie, Nuvem and Sol systems, will form a network called Americas Connect, the company said.
Google said the project aims to increase the reach, reliability and resilience of connectivity infrastructure through different subsea routes linking geographically separate Google Cloud regions.
Alisios will connect the Dominican Republic, Panama and Chile. In the Pacific, the network will include a subsea ring with redundant routes between Chile and Panama and a third link from Panama to the U.S. West Coast, providing connectivity to Google Cloud regions in Chile, Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
In the Caribbean, Alisios will continue from Panama to the Dominican Republic, where it will interconnect with a ring to the U.S. East Coast and Google Cloud regions in South Carolina and Virginia.
Canoa will connect the Dominican Republic with Bermuda and integrate with the Nuvem and Sol systems. According to Google, the infrastructure will provide connections from Latin America and the Caribbean to North America and Europe, including the Google Cloud region in Madrid.
The third new system, OlaLuz, will directly connect the Dominican Republic with Florida. Google said the route will increase network capacity between the Caribbean and the U.S. East Coast and provide an additional pathway to improve regional resilience.
Google also announced a new branch of the Firmina subsea cable that will land directly in the Dominican Republic. Firmina was originally built to connect North and South America, and the new extension will add capacity and connectivity in the Caribbean.
All three newly announced systems will have connections to the Dominican Republic, while the new Firmina branch will also land in the country.
Dominican President Luis Abinader said the country’s participation in the Caribbean and Latin American telecommunications network will help strengthen connectivity across the Americas and described the Dominican Republic as “an integral node in this expanding digital ecosystem.”
“Our participation in the Caribbean and Latin America telecommunications network allows us to join our partners in strengthening connectivity across the Americas,” Abinader said.
Panama will also play a role in the new infrastructure through Alisios and the routes that will connect the country with Chile, the Dominican Republic and the U.S. West Coast.
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino said the project aligns with Panama’s Digital Hub Initiative and the digital infrastructure pillar of the National Digital Strategy.
“By strengthening regional connectivity, we accelerate our efforts to bridge the digital divide, cultivate local tech talent, and drive high-tech economic growth,” Mulino said.
Chilean Transportation and Telecommunications and Public Works Minister Louis de Grange said Alisios will strengthen Chile’s position as a digital leader in Latin America and said faster, more resilient and secure connectivity could boost local businesses and economic growth.
Bermuda, meanwhile, will receive Canoa, which will be the first subsea cable system to directly connect the territory with the Dominican Republic, according to Bermuda Home Affairs Minister Alexa Lightbourne.
Google said the new infrastructure will also include strategically placed branching units that will allow future expansions of the network as connectivity needs and opportunities in the region grow.
The company did not specify dates for the start of construction or entry into service of Alisios, Canoa and OlaLuz, nor did it disclose the planned capacity of the new systems.
