ORCA

Overview

ORCA is a transpacific submarine cable spanning 12,482 kilometers, designed to connect Taiwan and the United States. Scheduled to be ready for service in 2027, the cable aims to enhance data exchange and connectivity between East Asia and North America. This high-capacity system is expected to play a significant role in supporting global internet traffic, cloud services, and digital communication. ORCA’s design reflects the growing demand for low-latency, high-bandwidth connections between two of the most technologically advanced regions in the world.

The cable’s infrastructure is optimized for modern digital needs, enabling seamless data transmission for applications such as financial transactions, content delivery, and enterprise cloud services. By linking Taiwan and the United States, ORCA contributes to the broader goal of strengthening digital ties across the Pacific Ocean, supporting economic and technological collaboration between these regions.

Route and Landings

ORCA’s route begins in Toucheng, Taiwan, a coastal town situated in the northeastern part of the island. Toucheng is strategically located near Taiwan’s major metropolitan and industrial centers, making it an ideal landing point for international submarine cables. Taiwan’s position as a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing and technology exports underscores the importance of robust digital connectivity to support its economy.

On the United States side, the cable lands at two locations in California: Hermosa Beach and Manchester. Hermosa Beach, located in Los Angeles County, is a well-established landing site for submarine cables due to its proximity to major data centers and technology infrastructure in Southern California. Manchester, situated further north in Mendocino County, provides additional redundancy and resilience to the system. By utilizing two landing points in California, ORCA ensures greater reliability and fault tolerance for transpacific data traffic.

The route traverses the Pacific Ocean, one of the world’s largest and most geologically active bodies of water. Submarine cable systems like ORCA are engineered to withstand challenges such as deep-sea currents, undersea earthquakes, and volcanic activity, ensuring uninterrupted service across vast distances.

Ownership and History

ORCA is owned and operated by Meta, a leading global technology company known for its social media platforms, virtual reality products, and cloud services. The cable represents Meta’s continued investment in submarine cable infrastructure to support its expansive digital ecosystem and meet the growing demand for data connectivity worldwide.

Meta’s ownership of ORCA underscores the company’s strategic focus on enhancing its global network capabilities. By directly owning submarine cables, Meta can optimize data transmission for its platforms and services while reducing reliance on third-party infrastructure. The decision to connect Taiwan and the United States reflects the importance of these regions in Meta’s global operations, both as key markets and as hubs for technological innovation.

Construction of ORCA began in response to the increasing need for high-capacity, low-latency links between Asia and North America. The cable’s planned completion in 2027 aligns with industry trends toward expanding transpacific connectivity to support the digital economy.

What Our Measurements Show

Our live monitoring of ORCA, conducted across 44 measured corridors, reveals a best round-trip time (RTT) of 32 milliseconds and an average RTT of 96 milliseconds. These measurements indicate high performance and low latency, making ORCA well-suited for applications requiring real-time data transmission, such as video conferencing, online gaming, and financial trading.

The best RTT of 32 milliseconds highlights the cable’s efficiency in connecting Taiwan and the United States, minimizing delays in data exchange. The average RTT of 96 milliseconds reflects the system’s ability to maintain consistent performance across various traffic scenarios. This level of reliability is critical for supporting the diverse digital needs of users in both regions.

ORCA’s performance metrics demonstrate its potential to significantly enhance connectivity between East Asia and North America, providing a robust foundation for future growth in internet traffic and digital services.