New Delhi: US tech giant Meta has announced the launch of the largest capacity subsea cable in the Asia-Pacific region, called Candle, in 2028. 

Candle will span approximately 8,000 kilometres, bringing increased connectivity to Japan, Taiwan, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore, the company said in a statement.

The project will offer a capacity of around 570 terabits per second (Tbps), serving over 580 million people, according to the company. Meta announced that Candle will use 24 fibre-pair technology to deliver bandwidth similar to its largest capacity cable, namely Anjana. The new cable will be developed in collaboration with regional telecom partners, the company noted.

The company also shared updates to several existing subsea projects, including the completion of the Bifrost cable system.

The Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is home to over 58 per cent of the world’s internet users -- many who rely on robust global infrastructure for online connectivity and access to innovative tech such as AI.

The company reported recent advancements on the Bifrost, Echo, and Apricot cables. Bifrost now connects Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States, with Mexico expected in 2026. Bifrost will chart a different path from prior transpacific cables to add over 260 Tbps of redundancy to this popular digital route.

Echo now delivers 260 Tbps of capacity between Guam and California, with options for onward connectivity into Asia in the future.

With future extensions to the Philippines, Indonesia and Singapore, Meta’s Apricot system has a 12,000-kilometre span that will complement the Bifrost and Echo systems with 290 Tbps of capacity.

Meanwhile, Meta is reportedly hiring contractors in the United States at rates of up to $55 (around Rs 4,850) per hour to develop Hindi-language AI chatbots designed for Indian users. (IANS)