Hawaiʻi is getting $1 billion of undersea fiber-optic internet cable upgrades from Google to improve and preserve connectivity in the state.
Lt. Gov. Sylvia Luke announced the development in partnership with Google on Tuesday.
Hawaiʻi’s internet connectivity is reliant on three main undersea cables. Two are nearing the end of their operational lifespans.
Luke said it’s important for the state to continue to make progress in internet connectivity.
“Can you imagine if the entire state is left behind by the world? And that's what's been going on as more and more undersea cables have bypassed us,” she said.
Luke is leading Connect Kākou, Hawaiʻi’s high-speed internet initiative.
“This is such a significant development that Google has made a commitment, not just to add one connection to the state of Hawaiʻi, but if you look at the map behind me, three connections to the state of Hawaiʻi. That is what reliable redundancy is about.”
The new cables will connect Hawaiʻi to Japan, the continental United States, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.
Luke said the cables will improve Hawaiʻi’s internet connections in the South Pacific and protect the state from internet disruptions.
The completion date for the cables is in 2026 but will depend on a variety of factors including weather.
A news release said Hawaiʻi is also slated to receive more than $320 million in federal funding over the next five years to build internet infrastructure across the state.
