title: "Google announces three new cable projects in the Americas"
url: "https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/google-announces-three-new-cable-projects-in-the-americas/"
author: "Dan Swinhoe"

Google has announced three new subsea cables in the Americas.

The search giant this week announced three new subsea cable systems - Alisios, Canoa, and OlaLuz – linking south, central, and north America.

The three cables form part of the Americas Connect initiative alongside the previously announced Firmina, Curie, Nuvem, and Sol cables.

The Alisios subsea cable system will connect the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Chile.

Canoa will connect the Dominican Republic to Bermuda, where the Sol and Nuvem cables land.

The OlaLuz cable will connect the Dominican Republic directly to Florida.

Google is also introducing a new branch of the Firmina subsea cable that will land directly in the Dominican Republic.

Capacities, landing points, and project timelines weren’t shared.

“Named after regional maritime traditions, these cables will create highly resilient, diverse routes connecting Chile, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Bermuda, Florida, and beyond,” Bikash Koley, Google VP of global infrastructure, said on LinkedIn. “By creating geographically diverse rings across the Pacific Coast, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean, we’re helping bridge the digital divide, connect communities, and drive economic growth in partnership with local governments.”

The new cables will link with Google’s existing subsea infrastructure in the region. Sol and Nuvem link North America and Bermuda to Europe. Firmina and Curie link Brazil and Chile to the US.

The Alisios cable is named after the vientos alisios - the Spanish term for the trade winds that blow across the tropics and the Caribbean, historically used by sailors to navigate between continents. Canoa comes from the Taíno word for canoe, harkening to the longstanding maritime culture in the Caribbean and North Atlantic. The name OlaLuz combines the Spanish words for "wave" (ola) and "light" (luz), referencing the waves of light that carry data along the cable on the ocean floor.

“As we welcome the announcement of the Alisios, OlaLuz, and Canoa subsea cable systems, the Dominican Republic is pleased to continue partnering with Google to bolster digital connectivity and innovation as part of Americas Connect,” said Luis Rodolfo Abinader Corona, president of the Dominican Republic. “Our participation in the Caribbean and Latin America telecommunications network allows us to join our partners in strengthening connectivity across the Americas, serving as an integral node in this expanding digital ecosystem. Our shared vision supports a leap forward in the DR government’s quest to bridge the digital divide, foster local talent, and drive tech-based economic opportunity for our people. This milestone is yet another piece of our collaboration with Google propelling the Dominican Republic into a new era of global digital integration.”

The Dominican Republic currently has three data centers, according to Data Center Map, all located in Santo Domingo and operated by Kio or NAPCaribe (x2). Six cables land there across five landing points.

Google has invested in more than 30 subsea cables in the past 15 years, more than any other hyperscaler, both privately and part of multi-party consortia. The search giant is developing multiple cable landing stations and “connectivity hubs” across a number of locations to support its network build-out.