Chile studies undersea cable to connect Antarctica to global internet

A feasibility study conducted by Chile’s telecommunications regulator, Subtel, has concluded that installing an undersea fiber-optic cable to connect Antarctica to the global internet is technically viable. Currently, Antarctica is the only continent without direct subsea access, forcing research stations to rely on high-latency satellite links or the physical transport of hard drives to move large scientific datasets.

Two primary routes have been identified. A shorter, 1,600-kilometer option connecting Punta Arenas and Puerto Williams to three points on the Antarctic Peninsula is estimated to cost approximately US$370 million. A more extensive 4,100-kilometer system could reach nine locations, including bases operated by the US, UK, Argentina, and Brazil, with an estimated cost of US$621 million.

Chilean Telecommunications Undersecretary Romina Garrido stated that while the country could begin with the shorter route and expand later, Chile would not finance the project alone. The deployment would require international or private capital participation. Due to the extreme complexity of the environment, construction could take up to eight years.