Google is developing new cable landing stations across a number of Atlantic and Pacific islands for upcoming subsea fiber cables, and details of planned constructions in the Azores and Hawaii have been announced.

Google building CLS in Azores

The Portuguese American Journal and others report that Google is building a data center and cable landing station in Lagoa on São Miguel island in the Azores to house its Nuvem and Sol cables.

Located at Lot 32B in the Tecnoparque da Lagoa industrial park, construction on the 10MW, 15,000 sqm (161,459 sq ft) facility is reportedly already underway.

“It is with pride and a sense of responsibility that we see confirmed that a company like Google decided to choose to settle in Lagoa,” said Frederico Sousa, Mayor of Lagoa.

Announced in 2023, Nuvem is set to connect Portugal, Bermuda, and the United States. News that the cable would land on the Portuguese Azores islands was announced last year.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Sol cable will connect Spain to the US via the Azores and Bermuda.

Google to build CLS in Hawaii

The University of Hawaiʻi recently announced a proposed ground lease that will allow Google to construct a cable landing station on the UH West Oʻahu campus.

The university said the facility will occupy approximately four acres, with Google designing, building, operating, and maintaining the building under a long-term lease agreement.

“These facilities will offer our students, researchers, and the broader community direct and cost-effective access to high-capacity Internet via Google’s new fiber optic systems,” said Garret Yoshimi, UH vice president for information technology and chief information officer. “Because the landing site is on one of our campuses, UH avoids costly backhaul connections, resulting in significant savings and improved global connectivity.”

West Oʻahu is a public college in Kapolei, on the southwest side of O’ahu island. The facility would be located near the corner of Farrington Highway and Kapolei Golf Course Road.

The 34,585 sq ft (3,215 sqm) facility is set to host six generators and three air-cooled chillers. Construction is estimated to begin in the second quarter of 2026 and run until the second quarter of 2027.

Google is developing several subsea cables that are set to land in Hawaii. Bulikula, set to be deployed next year, will connect the island to Fiji, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Tabua, also set to launch next year, will link the mainland US to Australia via Hawaii and Fiji. Taihei, due in 2027, will link Hawaii to Japan.

According to a filing with the local government, Google’s Oʻahu Subsea Cable Telecommunications Project will feature a cable landing site at Barbers Point Beach Park, installation of an underground conduit system, and the telecommunications facility at the University of Hawai‘i’s campus. Google made the filing via Humuhumu Services, LLC., and Starfish Infrastructure, Inc.

There are currently at least seven cable landing stations on the Hawaiian islands; AT&T operates two, four belong to Macquarie Asset Management-owned Hawaiian Telecoms, and DRFortress operates one.

Google is also developing new cable landing stations in Fiji in Suva and Natadola via its Staghorn Services Pte Ltd affiliate, in Tinian in the Northern Mariana Islands via Unicornfish, and in Tahiti Nui in French Polynesia via its Sea Turtle Services affiliate. It is also building a CLS in Bermuda.

https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/google-to-develop-new-cable-landing-stations-in-azores-and-hawaii-for-upcoming-subsea-cable-systems/