The initiative comes nearly a decade after it was first proposed in 2016, with feasibility studies beginning six years ago12. "This is the first submarine cable in the South Pacific, so it's an important commitment in that we have an extraordinary strategic partner for a cable that should be operational in 2027," Transport Minister Juan Carlos Muñoz told journalists34.

The project's estimated cost ranges between $300 million and $550 million, with Chile contributing $25 million through its state-owned infrastructure company Desarrollo País51. Unlike typical corporate ventures, this cable will be open to other entities beyond Google, including technology firms operating in Chile32.

The timing coincides with escalating competition between China and the United States for influence in Latin America, where submarine cables have become flashpoints in technological rivalry12. Nearly 99% of international data travels through undersea cables, making them vital for internet connectivity and international finance, carrying an estimated $10 trillion in transactions daily3.

Chile's strategic positioning is deliberate. The country aims to strengthen digital connectivity with Asian nations, particularly China, which is Chile's largest trading partner24. The cable will also benefit astronomical research in northern Chile, where observatories generate massive data volumes that previously took traditional northern hemisphere routes5.

Officials from both Google and the Chilean government view the project as infrastructure capable of attracting millions in investment from technology companies, mining firms, and banks in Chile and Australia12. Google's existing Curie cable increased Chile's international outbound capacity by 30% and is expected to contribute $19.2 billion to the region's economy while creating 67,000 jobs by 20273.

"The idea of building this cable is that it can also be used not only by Google but also by other users, such as technology companies operating in Chile," said Cristian Ramos, director of telecommunications infrastructure for Latin America at Alphabet, Google's parent company12.