UPDATE 2-Fb, Amazon find U.S. acceptance to function undersea data cable

(Provides Facebook remark, prior action)

By David Shepardson

WASHINGTON, Aug 13 (Reuters) – Facebook Inc and Amazon.com Inc have requested the U.S. federal government for approval to work a new undersea information cable between the Philippines and California following China Cellular agreed to exit the plan, a government agency reported on Friday.

The two firms told the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) they intend to get started professional operation by late 2022 and claimed the new details connection will provide sizeable new capacity on routes exactly where potential demand carries on to increase considerably just about every year.

The providers in a joint submitting claimed the new cable will aid to help Fb purposes and deliver Amazon and its affiliate marketers with capacity to guidance Amazon’s cloud services and link its info facilities.

A Fb spokeswoman claimed the challenge events agreed “the most effective route ahead to total the construction and carry the… cable technique into operation was to restructure the method possession, allowing for the functions to deliver on the goal of bringing connectivity to extra folks and areas.”

Amazon and China Mobile did not instantly react to requests for remark.

The United States has frequently expressed considerations about China’s part in dealing with network visitors and likely for espionage. All-around 300 subsea cables form the spine of the world wide web, carrying 99% of the world’s details targeted traffic.

In September 2020, Facebook, Amazon and China Cellular withdrew their software to link San Francisco and Hong Kong as element of the Bay to Bay Convey Cable Process. In March, Fb withdrew a individual FCC application for a Hong Kong to California cable.

In April 2020, the FCC accredited Alphabet Inc device Google’s ask for to use portion of a U.S.-Asia undersea telecommunications cable, that excluded Hong Kong, immediately after U.S. businesses raised national safety considerations.

Google agreed to function a portion of this 8,000-mile (12,875-km) Pacific Mild Cable Network Method involving the United States and Taiwan, but not to Hong Kong. Google and Fb served to pay back for construction of the finished hyperlink but U.S. regulators have blocked its use.

The companies in August 2020 abandoned the proposal to use the Hong Kong part.

In Could 2019, the FCC voted unanimously to deny China Cellular the appropriate to offer expert services in the United States, citing dangers that the Chinese authorities could use the approval to perform espionage towards the U.S. authorities. (Reporting by David Shepardson Modifying by Chizu Nomiyama, Jane Merriman and Marguerita Choy)