Google Cloud to expand infrastructure with new regions, submarine cables

Google, a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc, announced on Tuesday its plan to expand infrastructure for cloud customers by adding five regions and constructing three new submarine cables. Over the past three years, the company has invested $30 billion in infrastructure. The Netherlands and Montreal regions are set to open in the first quarter of 2018, followed by Los Angeles, Finland, and Hong Kong.

In 2019, Google intends to commission three subsea cables, according to a blog post from the internet giant. The cables include Curie, a private cable linking Chile to Los Angeles; Havfrue, a consortium cable connecting the United States to Denmark and Ireland; and Hong Kong-Guam Cable system, a consortium cable interconnecting major subsea communication hubs in Asia.

Subsea cables play a crucial role as the backbone of the internet, carrying over 90 percent of the world’s data traffic. Companies involved in setting up these cables include TE SubCom, a unit of NYSE-listed TE Connectivity Ltd, and Tokyo-listed NEC Corp, as mentioned by Google. The company has direct investment in 11 cables, including those in the planning or construction stages.

Google Cloud’s existing global network spans 100 points of presence and 7500 edge-catching nodes. The enhanced network aims to improve user experience for platforms like Machine Learning Engine, Spanner, BigQuery, and G Suite, allowing customers to leverage the tech giant’s network for better connectivity.