Microsoft Invests Heavily in Transatlantic Subsea Cables to Boost Global Data Centre Connection

Microsoft is channeling significant resources into undersea internet infrastructure, aligning itself with a group committed to constructing fibre-optic cables under the sea. This strategic move is aimed at dramatically enhancing global connectivity between Microsoft’s extensive network of data centres.

Microsoft has strategically partnered with Aqua Comms, an expert in subsea cable networks, to develop the AEConnect cable system. This fibre-optic masterpiece is envisaged to span a staggering distance of approximately 6,600 kilometers, creating a direct digital bridge between Microsoft’s North American data centres and their European counterparts. This visionary leap towards a seamless transatlantic connection also paves the way for connections to other continents.

Microsoft’s hefty investment in the realm of subsea cable infrastructure caters to several critical needs, including:

1. Substantially increased data transfer speeds for cloud services
2. Significant reduction in latency for international consumers
3. Improved consistency and redundancy in service delivery
4. More direct control over network performance metrics

This investment directly maps onto Microsoft’s ambitious plans for expanding its cloud business, embracing its Azure and Office 365 platforms. By engineering their own undersea connections, Microsoft seeks to offer a consistent, high-speed access to its services across the corners of the globe.

By doing so, Microsoft joins forces with other tech titans like Google and Facebook, who are also investing heavily in similar undersea cable projects. As the demand for cloud services and seamless global connectivity continues to surge at a rapid pace, these technology powerhouses are making a deliberate move to exercise more control over their international data infrastructure. This strategic shift aims to lessen their dependence on third-party telecommunications providers.

The substantial investment by Microsoft signals their commitment towards constructing a robust, worldwide infrastructure that can ably support the expansion of its cloud-based services. As data centres proliferate across different geographical regions worldwide, Microsoft envisions these dedicated subsea connections playing an indispensable part in their capacity to provide reliable, high-performance service delivery to customers all around the globe.

This article was updated in 2025 to reflect modern realities.